Austin Ernst fires 63 to win second LPGA event at NW Arkansas Championship

Please Share

ROGERS, Ark. – Austin Ernst rallied to win the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship on Sunday for her second LPGA tour title, closing with an 8-under 63 for a two-stroke victory over Anna Nordqvist.

Four strokes behind Nordqvist entering the round, Ernst had the best score of the day, making 10 birdies and two bogeys at Pinnacle Country Club. She joined 2014 champion Stacy Lewis as the event’s only American winners.

Nordqvist closed with a 69 after opening with rounds of 64 and 62 to take a three-shot lead into the final day.

Ernst rebounded from a bogey on the par-4 13th with a birdie on the par-5 14th, and took a two-shot lead when Nordqvist, playing in the group behind, bogeyed the 14th. Nordqvist birdied the par-4 16th to pull within one, and Ernst birdied the par-5 18th to push the margin back to two and post at 20 under.

Full-field scores from the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship

Nordqvist, the 33-year-old Swede with two major titles and six other LPGA tour wins, also bogeyed the par-4 12th – her first dropped stroke of the week. She played the four par-5 holes in 1 over, while Ernst birdied them all.

Ernst opened with consecutive 65s to put herself in position to win for the first time since the 2014 Portland Classic. The 28-year-old former LSU player also won the 2011 NCAA individual title.

Ernst on NW Arkansas win: ‘Oh man, it feels good’

Angela Stanford (65) and Nelly Korda (67) tied for third at 16 under. Jenny Shin (68) and Sei Young Kim (69) were 15 under.

Kim made her first LPGA tour start since January. The South Korean player skipped the Women’s Open last week. She’s set to play the ANA Inspiration in two weeks in the California desert.

DIVOTS: Ernst is the third U.S. winner this season, following Danielle Kang (Drive On Championship, Marathon Classic) and Lewis (Ladies Scottish Open). Lewis, the former University of Arkansas star, closed with a 70 to tie for 28th at 9 under. … Alexa Pano, the 16-year-old Florida amateur playing on a sponsor exemption, was another stroke back after a 66.

Source link