Latest news with #Plastpro
The Sun
28-04-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Mao Saigo wins maiden Major and first LPGA title
JAPAN'S Mao Saigo claimed her maiden LPGA Tour title and first Major victory at The Chevron Championship on Sunday, winning a dramatic five-player sudden-death playoff at The Club at Carlton Woods. The largest playoff in LPGA Major championship history only lasted one hole, and it was 2024 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Saigo who prevailed with a birdie. The 23-year-old became the fourth Rolex First-Time Winner of the 2025 season, joining compatriot Rio Takeda (Blue Bay LPGA), American Yealimi Noh (Founders Cup presented by US Virgin Islands) and Sweden's Ingrid Lindblad (JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro). Saigo was tied for the lead with Korean Haeran Ryu on nine-under-par heading into the final 18 holes at Carlton Woods' Jack Nicklaus Signature Course. As Ryu fell off the pace with a final round 76, Saigo birdied the last regulation hole to get into the playoff. Saigo's closing 74 gave her a tournament aggregate of seven-under-par 281 (70-68-69-74), matched by China's Ruoning Yin (71- 69-70-71), Korea's Hyo Joo Kim (67-71-73-70), American Lindy Duncan (72-66-70-73) and Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn (68-72-70-71). The playoff at the par-five 18th hole saw Duncan and Kim elect to lay up with their second shots, while Saigo, Jutanugarn and Yin went for the green in two. Saigo's approach went long, and she took relief from the grandstand before playing a superb chip to three feet. After Duncan and Kim failed to convert long birdie attempts, it was down to Yin and Jutanugarn to see if they could make their putts from around six feet. Both players missed and Saigo calmly rolled in her birdie to take the title, and the USD1.2 million winner's cheque. 'It was my dream to earn this Major. It is my first time to win this tournament, and I was able to realize my dream and I'm very happy about this,' said Saigo, who is the first Japanese winner of the tournament since its inception in 1972. Saigo is the fifth player from Japan to win a Major title and the third to do so over the last two seasons, joining Yuka Saso (2024 US Women's Open) and Ayaka Furue (2024 The Amundi Evian Championship). 'My predecessors have also earned majors, and I really thought I needed to catch up with them as much as possible. But instead of applying too much pressure on myself, I wanted to respect each process and move forward steadily,' noted Saigo, who is a six-time Japan LPGA winner. Three players finished in a tie for sixth on five-under-par, including Ryu and 2019 Chevron Championship winner Jin Young Ko, also of South Korea. Defending champion and world No. 1 Nelly Korda of the United States settled for joint 14th on two-under-par after starting with a 77. Malaysian amateur Jeneath Wong had earlier missed the halfway cut of two-over-par, following rounds of 78 and 76 in tough, blustery conditions brought about by thunderstorms. 'The experience of playing in The Chevron Championship was unreal and amazing. Playing in the first Major of the year and coming in with no expectations made this tournament a lot more enjoyable, and there are lots of positives to take from the week,' said Wong, who earned her place in the Major with her victory at last month's Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific championship in Vietnam. 'Being able to play on the world stage in a Major with the world's top professionals is just an honour. I was able to see what the pros do differently and was able to learn from that,' added the Pepperdine University junior. This was Wong's second Major outing following the 2023 US Women's Open at Pebble Beach, where she missed the cut by three shots. The 21-year-old will be accorded two more Major invitations this year as reigning Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific champion, for the Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort in France and the AIG Women's Open at Royal Porthcawl in Wales, both in July.
The Sun
21-04-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Lindblad wins maiden LPGA title in California
Sweden's Ingrid Lindblad bagged her maiden LPGA Tour title with a gutsy victory on Sunday at the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro. Making only her third start as an LPGA Tour member, Lindblad carded a closing four-under-par 68 at El Caballero Country Club for a 21-under-par 267 total. The 25-year-old finished one stroke ahead of fellow rookie Akie Iwai of Japan, who bogeyed her last hole for a final round 69. American Lauren Coughlin, who co-led with Lindblad and Iwai after 54 holes, signed off with a 70 to share third place on 19-under-par with Germany's Esther Henseleit (64) and Japan's Miyu Yamashita (66). Playing a group ahead of Iwai, Lindblad recorded six birdies against two birdies in the final round, parring her last seven holes. She enjoyed a lucky break on the par-four 13th when her pulled drive struck a tree and bounced back onto the fairway. Iwai nailed a long eagle putt at the par-five 16th hole to draw level on 21-under-par, but the 22-year-old overshot the green from the rough at the par-four 18th and failed to save par from 10 feet. Lindblad became the second rookie to win on the 2025 LPGA Tour, following Rio Takeda who won the Blue Bay LPGA in China. The Swede is the third Rolex First-Time Winner this season, joining Takeda and American Yealimi Noh. 'I feel like I was just out there trying to take one hole at a time. I was telling myself, just keep hitting good golf shots. Felt like I could have made a couple more birdies on the back nine, but nothing really wanted to drop. Just staying in the moment and show no emotion, but sometimes it's hard to show no emotion,' said Lindblad, who shot a nine-under-par 63 on Friday to tie the tournament low round. Lindblad is the second-consecutive Swedish winner on the LPGA Tour, following Madelene Sagstrom who won last week's T-Mobile Match Play presented by MGM Rewards. She joins Annika Sorenstam as a winner at El Caballero, where her legendary compatriot won the Office Depot Championship in 2003 and 2004. 'What she [Sorenstam] has done out on Tour was incredible. I didn't know until Monday or Tuesday that she had won here. Following in her footsteps is pretty big,' said Lindblad. Lindblad had a highly-decorated amateur career with Louisiana State University and was No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking from mid-2023 until she joined the paid ranks last June. She competed on the Epson Tour over the second half of 2024, chalking up five top-10 finishes including her first professional victory at the Tuscaloosa Toyota Classic, finishing sixth on the Race for the Card rankings to earn LPGA Tour status for the 2025 season. Defending champion Hannah Green of Australia, winner of the last two editions at Wilshire Country Club, closed with a 67 to tie for ninth on 16-under-par. World No. 1 Nelly Korda tied for 16th on 14-under-par as the American gears up for her title defence at the 2025 season's first Major, The Chevron Championship, which starts on Thursday at The Club at Carlton Woods in Woodlands, Texas. – LPGA
The Star
21-04-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Swedish lass Ingrid Lindblad wins maiden LPGA title at JM Eagle LA Championship; second rookie after Rio Takeda to achieve feat
TARZANA, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 20: Ingrid Lindblad of Sweden poses with the winner's trophy after the final round of the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro 2025 at El Caballero Country Club on April 20, 2025 in Tarzana, California. -- Photo by-LPGA SWEDEN'S Ingrid Lindblad bagged her maiden LPGA Tour title with a gutsy victory on Sunday at the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro. Making only her third start as an LPGA Tour member, Lindblad carded a closing four-under-par 68 at El Caballero Country Club for a 21-under-par 267 total. The 25-year-old finished one stroke ahead of fellow rookie Akie Iwai of Japan, who bogeyed her last hole for a final round 69. American Lauren Coughlin, who co-led with Lindblad and Iwai after 54 holes, signed off with a 70 to share third place on 19-under-par with Germany's Esther Henseleit (64) and Japan's Miyu Yamashita (66). Playing a group ahead of Iwai, Lindblad recorded six birdies against two birdies in the final round, parring her last seven holes. She enjoyed a lucky break on the par-four 13th when her pulled drive struck a tree and bounced back onto the fairway. Iwai nailed a long eagle putt at the par-five 16th hole to draw level on 21-under-par, but the 22-year-old overshot the green from the rough at the par-four 18th and failed to save par from 10 feet. Lindblad became the second rookie to win on the 2025 LPGA Tour, following Rio Takeda who won the Blue Bay LPGA in China. The Swede is the third Rolex First-Time Winner this season, joining Takeda and American Yealimi Noh. 'I feel like I was just out there trying to take one hole at a time. I was telling myself, just keep hitting good golf shots. Felt like I could have made a couple more birdies on the back nine, but nothing really wanted to drop. Just staying in the moment and show no emotion, but sometimes it's hard to show no emotion,' said Lindblad, who shot a nine-under-par 63 on Friday to tie the tournament low round. Lindblad is the second-consecutive Swedish winner on the LPGA Tour, following Madelene Sagstrom who won last week's T-Mobile Match Play presented by MGM Rewards. She joins Annika Sorenstam as a winner at El Caballero, where her legendary compatriot won the Office Depot Championship in 2003 and 2004. 'What she [Sorenstam] has done out on Tour was incredible. I didn't know until Monday or Tuesday that she had won here. Following in her footsteps is pretty big,' said Lindblad. Lindblad had a highly-decorated amateur career with Louisiana State University and was number one in the World Amateur Golf Ranking from mid-2023 until she joined the paid ranks last June. She competed on the Epson Tour over the second half of 2024, chalking up five top-10 finishes including her first professional victory at the Tuscaloosa Toyota Classic, finishing sixth on the Race for the Card rankings to earn LPGA Tour status for the 2025 season. Defending champion Hannah Green of Australia, winner of the last two editions at Wilshire Country Club, closed with a 67 to tie for ninth on 16-under-par. World number one Nelly Korda tied for 16th on 14-under-par as the American gears up for her title defence at the 2025 season's first Major, The Chevron Championship, which starts on Thursday at The Club at Carlton Woods in Woodlands, Texas.
USA Today
18-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
With a total makeover, LPGA star Minjee Lee is making it big in Los Angeles
With a total makeover, LPGA star Minjee Lee is making it big in Los Angeles Los Angeles is a town that's seen its share of total makeovers through the years. LPGA star Minjee Lee is just taking L.A. to an extreme. Over the course of the last few months, Lee has now changed her: Putter Caddie Wedges Driver Results Lee put a new long putter in the bag for her debut at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions and rolled to a career-best 10-under 62 in the closing round. And the Odyssey Square 2 Square No. 7 has shown no signs of slowing up, as is evidenced by Lee's 65 on Friday during the second round of the 2025 JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro at El Caballero Country Club. The 28-year-old Australian holed a number of lengthy putts, looking mighty comfortable with a piece of equipment that's still new to her arsenal. With the performance, Lee jumped to the top of the leaderboard when she finished with a two-day score of 12 under. When asked what she's been working on most, Lee, who already has a second-place finish this season at the Blue Bay LPGA, said it's been a little bit of everything. "Obviously, my putting because I've changed to the long putter since the beginning of the year. But a bit more on like my long game, my driver, and just the accuracy, I guess," she said. "I'm always constantly working on my same patterns to get a little bit better every day. I might not be at 100 percent, but if I can get it to 85 to 90, I'm pretty much good on the course. Just really working on a few of my patterns and just trying to get that little bit better every day." The 10-time LPGA winner noted after her round that she's also switched to the Opus wedges, meaning she has all Callaway clubs in her bag. Lee is also seeing solid results with the new Elite driver. Even with all the changes, she's felt right at home with her gear, as much as she has with the Southern California mood. "I think at Wilshire it really reminded me of the Melbourne Sand Belt kind of vibe, but out here it's different. I'm not really sure," she said. "I like L.A. and I like the West Coast, so it just reminds me a little bit more of home for some reason. Maybe that's why. A little bit of home." Minjee could surpass 2024 earnings with a win Although there's plenty of work still to be done, Lee could surpass her entire 2024 earnings with a victory this week. Through her first five events, Lee has already netted $414,700 and the winner this week takes home $562,500. Lee earned $881,900 in 21 starts in 2024. "I feel like I've been improving week in, week out. I think I've been getting better every time I've been playing. I think having a little bit longer stretch of events I can get some momentum," she said. "I'm really looking forward to obviously the end of this week and then the three that I'm playing coming up. "Hopefully, I can play well and get some momentum leading up to the U.S. Open and all the other majors."
Los Angeles Times
01-04-2025
- Automotive
- Los Angeles Times
CEOs Giving Back to Los Angeles While Taking the LPGA Tour to New Heights
Shirley and Walter Wang imagined transforming the LPGA using a simple-yet-radical idea – to use their backing of the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro as a vehicle to improve the lives of the women who compete. So, how did the women of the LPGA respond when the Wangs doubled the tournament's purse, gave them more than $100,000 in prizes to aid in their travel, and also provided them with complimentary accommodations? They selected the trailblazing tour stop as the 2024 LPGA Tournament of the Year. With those tournament perks in place for the championship's return in April, Walter and Shirley foresee the event growing deeper in its purpose. It won't just be a change agent for the athletes who compete, but also an outlet for the community that has been forever changed by the catastrophic wildfires which have ravaged Los Angeles. 'We need to bring some joy, happiness in the midst of all these tragedies,' Walter said about helping his community. 'With the LPGA tournament, it can encourage people to come and find some joy in seeing the passion and energy of the players in the sport and people coming together.' The Wangs call the Los Angeles area home and luckily have been spared of any damage to their personal residence and their businesses. Walter, the CEO of JM Eagle, and Shirley, the CEO of Plastpro, say that all of their employees have been fortunate to keep their homes. But 'everyone knows somebody that lost their home,' Walter adds. And Walter and Shirley are no different. Their friend returned from vacation to find that his home had been destroyed, his father's priceless World War II relics turned to ash. The Wangs needed just a single word to describe the impact the wildfires have had on them personally. 'Devastating,' they each said, echoing the pain suffered by their community. Sandwiched between the Palisades and Eaton Fires sits El Caballero Country Club in the San Fernando Valley, which in April, will host the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro. The course was designed in 1957 by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and was unscathed by the fires. El Cab, as it's affectionately known, will host the LPGA this season while Wilshire Country Club, the tournament's prior home, is undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation. Walter and his wife, Shirley, hope local residents can look forward to attending their tournament and will see it as an escape from the trauma they've endured over the past couple of months. On behalf of JM Eagle, those affected by the Eaton and Palisades Fires will have the opportunity to receive complimentary grounds tickets during tournament competition rounds, April 17-20 (up to four tickets per family). All first responders and military members and their families will receive complimentary admission as well as receiving exclusive access to hospitality at the SERVPRO Hero Outpost. 'God doesn't want you to just freeze. He wants to keep on going on and continue on with life,' Shirley said about providing a mental escape for first responders at the tournament. 'The LPGA and all these events, they're something to bring joy to people, a reprieve from this.' In addition, juniors under the age of 17 will also enjoy free entry to the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro. In 2024, nearly 1,000 children from organizations across the Los Angeles area were provided transportation to the tournament to attend a clinic led by the LPGA's Maria Fassi and Emma Talley. Again this year, Saturday of the tournament week will be designated as Junior Golf Day. It's one of the ways that the Wangs are trying to grow the LPGA's fan base. 'It's like planting a seed, right? It will grow and prosper if you take care of it, you make sure you water it, you fertilize it the right way,' Walter says about exposing children to the game of golf. 'Give kids the incentive and motivation.' It's the same way Walter and Shirley have nurtured the growth of their golf tournament - by doubling the purse to $3.75 million they were able to watch their event blossom, which resulted in more than 100 grateful athletes turning out for their pro-am party in 2024. Then, they observed how their strategy pollinated across the LPGA's schedule. Since Walter and Shirley initially doubled the purse of the JM LA Championship presented by Plastpro to $3 million for the 2023 event, they've seen 11 tournament sponsors follow suit and increase their purses, too. 'We accomplished what we wanted to accomplish and that is to lead by example,' Walter said of his goal of transforming the LPGA. 'It worked. And I think we'll continue to grow.' So, how can the tournament that's considered the best on Tour get even better? Walter and Shirley say their priority is to further grow the LPGA's fan base, to get more residents to attend their tournament, and to utilize influencers to grow their social media presence. They're hopeful that the tournament's relocation to El Caballero Country Club in 2025 will create an opportunity to expose a whole new demographic within Los Angeles to the LPGA Tour. El Cab is about an hour drive northwest of where Wilshire Country Club is being renovated and where Walter's company, JM Eagle, has donated all the irrigation, drainage, and water pipes for the project in addition to the electrical conduit. Just as Walter and Shirely have led by example in transforming the LPGA, they're doing the same within their community in its dire time of need. Walter and JM Eagle have pledged to donate a total of $6.5 mil to fire relief and recovery efforts, with individual donations going to the Los Angeles Fire Department, the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, and the Los Angeles Police Fund. 'We feel we need to be a responsible citizen in our own community, take care of your own community first,' Walter said about giving back. 'Then, you have the strength to go outside of your community and do things for others.'
