Latest news with #LindyDuncan
USA Today
21-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Lindy Duncan, Maria Fassi among late additions to U.S. Women's Open field
Lindy Duncan, Maria Fassi among late additions to U.S. Women's Open field It's already been a special week for Maria Fassi. She's competing in her native Mexico for the first time as a professional and, moments before she met with the press on Tuesday at the Mexico Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba, the former NCAA champion received an email from the USGA informing her that she's now in the field for the 80th U.S. Women's Open. Fassi was the first alternate from the Westminster, Colorado, qualifying site. "Just very, very relieved, very excited," said Fassi of teeing it up next week at Erin Hills. "It had been a lot of work in the qualifier to get in this position even." Fassi got into the field after KLPGA player Jungmin Hong declined her spot earlier this week. Hung was one of five players who got in off the updated Rolex Rankings list on Monday. Lindy Duncan (50th), Mi Hyang Lee (64th), and Manon De Roey (73rd) moved into the top 75 as of May 19 and have already accepted their spots. The USGA is still waiting to hear back from South Korea's Shinsil Bang, who ranks 61st. Duncan, 34, is in the midst of a breakout season on tour after coming up short in a playoff at the Chevron Championship. The Duke grad was ranked 176th to start the year and has four top-12 finishes in seven starts this season. The USGA had held seven spots to fill off the Rolex Rankings and, after only using five, put two alternates from qualifying into the field – Yuna Nishimura and Gemma Dryburgh. Arkansas' Maria Jose Marin got in after winning the individual NCAA title on Monday and has already accepted the invitation. This will be the Colombian's first Women's Open appearance. The field of 156 players has 154 spots accounted for as of Wednesday. A spot will be given to the winner of the Riviera Maya Open, should she not already be in the field. Should Bang decline, the USGA will go back to the alternate list from qualifying to fill the spot.
Newsweek
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Mao Saigo Wins Epic 5-Woman Playoff at Chevron Championship
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The 2025 Chevron Championship carved its name into LPGA history. Although this time, not just through the impressive scores, but with its largest playoff in LPGA major history. It unfolded as the top 5 leading golfers - Ruoning Yin, Hyo Joo Kim, Lindy Duncan, Ariya Jutanugarn, and Mao Saigo tied in the final round, finishing 72 holes at 7-under par on Sunday. But the ultimate leap in Poppie's Pond was taken by the 23-year-old Japanese player Mao Saigo, who won the five-way playoff, sinking a 3-foot birdie putt in the first hole. This was her first LPGA Major win following her runner-up finishes at the CPKC Women's Open and Buick LPGA Shanghai last year. "Last year it was a very intense competition," Saigo recalled. "I was so close but I was not able to make it. It was very disappointing. This year I was able to win and earn the LPGA title, and I'm extremely excited about this," Saigo admitted as she raised the trophy, defeating past champion Nelly Korda. RANCHO MIRAGE, CA - APRIL 03: Lydia Ko of New Zealand holds the trophy after the final round of the 2016 ANA Inspiration at the Mission Hills Country Club on April 3, 2016 in Rancho... RANCHO MIRAGE, CA - APRIL 03: Lydia Ko of New Zealand holds the trophy after the final round of the 2016 ANA Inspiration at the Mission Hills Country Club on April 3, 2016 in Rancho Mirage, California. (Photo by) More Getty Images Interestingly, things might have turned out differently Jutanugarn's tragic 72nd hole hadn't ended the way it did. The emotion was also echoed by the Thai professional, as she expressed: "And still, I still think I had a good chance out there," as she finished tied for second place. Whereas the 11-year LPGA veteran, Lindy Duncan, who is still awaiting her first LPGA title, shared the moment that will be glued in her memories. "I have so many great memories for this day and I will remember the putt I made [to make the playoff] forever," Duncan said. It wouldn't be wrong to say that it was indeed one of the best moments, as Lindy Duncan had a long eagle putt from off the green on the par-5 18th hole, with which she could have won the tournament, but the putt came up short. But the 34-year-old made a 12-foot long birdie putt to step into the playoff battle. What a moment! Lindy Duncan putts her way into the five-way playoff! — LPGA (@LPGA) April 27, 2025 "That was the loudest I've ever heard on a golf course. The cheering was incredible. To make a putt like that to get into the playoff, I'll remember forever." "Just walking the fairways people were chanting, go Lindy, and it was really, really fun," the LPGA veteran expressed during the post-tournament conference. Meanwhile, Hyo Joo Kim's remarkable performance earned her a spot in the playoff, but ultimately ended in a runner-up finish. "I think I really did well today, and I did, but because we had a playoff, there's some disappointment," Kim said. "But in the current condition I'm in, I really did my best and I think I played well." More Golf: PGA Tour Pro Goes Shirtless, Farmer's Tan Turns Heads at Zurich Classic
USA Today
27-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
With local caddie by her side, Chevron contender Lindy Duncan is living out her dream
With local caddie by her side, Chevron contender Lindy Duncan is living out her dream THE WOODLANDS, Texas – Two years ago, Lindy Duncan didn't have status or a sponsor, and the Duke grad started thinking about what else she might want to do with her life if the 2023 LPGA season didn't go as planned. Fast forward to Sunday at the Chevron Championship, where 34-year-old Duncan will be playing in the final group alongside co-leaders Haeran Ryu and Mao Saigo. "So cool," she said. "I'm living my dream right now." On her bag this week is Stephen Nuby, a local caddie at The Club of Carlton Woods who worked with her at this event last year. Duncan reports that they're having a blast on the soggy Nicklaus Course, where she's posted rounds of 72-66-70 to trail by one. This marks the fourth time in Duncan's career that she's played in the final group and the first since the 2018 season, when she did it twice. Duncan has never played in the final group of a major, however, and her best finish in this event is a share of 60th. "My mantra for tomorrow would be to trust my instincts," said Duncan, who was the best player in college golf more than a dozen years ago but has never won on the LPGA or Epson Tour. Duncan, a native of Florida, feels right at home in the muggy Texas heat. She practices out of Lake Nona in Orlando, where she's watched Lydia Ko up close for a number of years, calling her the hardest-working person she's ever been around. Duncan used to be a big gadget gal but has toned that down in recent years. After missing the cut last week in Los Angeles, she changed her driver head for this week, going from her second backup to her backup. "My club face was a little bit open with my drive," she said, "so I was kind of blocking it right." A fifth-place finish at the Ford Championship last month certainly helped set up Duncan for success in 2025, though she only let herself enjoy that for about a day before recognizing that she needed to get back to the grind. After all these years, she still revels in the thrill of competition, the travel and the grind. "There was definitely many moments where I was thinking of a future without playing," said Duncan, "but what kept me in it was I still just love it. I still love the tournaments, and I still feel like my game was in there. I was just like, where are you? "But through some work, I started to see little bits here and there and then putting rounds together, I just kind of kept believing in myself."
USA Today
31-03-2025
- Business
- USA Today
2025 Ford Championship prize money payouts for each LPGA player at Whirlwind Golf Club
2025 Ford Championship prize money payouts for each LPGA player at Whirlwind Golf Club The LPGA returned to the U.S. for the first time since early February with the 2025 Ford Championship just outside Phoenix. The $2.25 million purse marked the first time for some in the field of 144 to earn a paycheck in more than a month. The winner at Whirlwind Golf Club earned $337,500. A total of 74 players made the cut. While Hyo Joo Kim made the headlines with her playoff victory, it was a meaningful week for a player like Lindy Duncan, who has struggled at times to keep her card in recent years but posted an early top-5 finish to set herself up well for the rest of the year. LPGA Hall of Famer Lydia Ko continued her march to the top of the all-time money list with her T-6 showing, good for a $58,674 payday. Ko came into the week trailing all-time leader Annika Sorenstam by $1,988,588. Here's the breakdown of how much money each player earned at the LPGA Ford Championship.
