Austin Ernst, in her second year on the LPGA Tour, won the Portland Classic presented by Cambia Health Solutions to earn her first victory.
In 23 starts in her rookie season last year, she had just two top-10 finishes, earned $142,000 and finished No. 72 on the LPGA Tour money list.
The $195,000 first-place check moves her to No. 31 in the Race to the CME Globe this season and No. 32 on the money list. Her best finish prior to this win was T-18 at the Kingsmill Championship in May.
Ernst carded three birdies and an eagle on the front nine for a five-under-par 31. She added two more birdies on the back nine before the pressure became too great to bear. She held a two-shot lead with just two holes to play, but consecutive bogeys at Nos. 17 and 18 left her the leader in the clubhouse at 14-under-par.
She had to wait for over 30 minutes for I.K. Kim and So Yeon Ryu to finish, who were both tied with Ernst, when she signed her card.
Kim was able to par out and tie Ernst to force a playoff. Ryu who won last week at the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, found trouble and made a double-bogey at the last to finish 12-under-par and tied for third with Chella Choi.
Choi was able to bounce back with a strong finish this week after a disagreement over rules officials last week forced her to withdraw from the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open.
Ernst got some advice from her father and coach on the phone after her round, hit a few drives and practiced putting while she waited for the rest of the field to finish.
In the playoff with Kim, she made par and Kim’s bogey gave Ernst the win. Kim is now 0-5 in playoffs on the LPGA Tour.
Defending champion, Suzann Pettersen was tied with Mi Jung Hur and Carlotta Cigunda after 54 holes. Hur struggled to a final round 73, while Cigunda and Pettersen carded a pair two-over-par 74’s and fall to T-16.
The top-ranked player in the world, Stacy Lewis took a much needed rest this week and will return in two weeks at the final women’s major championship of the season in France at the Evian Championship.