Brooke Henderson took the clubhouse lead at 12 under Sunday after making a birdie on the 18th hole. A few minutes later, Lindsey Weaver-Wright joined her at 12 under after also making a birdie at the last, and that forced a playoff at the LPGA ShopRite Classic.
Golf fans watching on TV had to then scramble to a livestream after CBS cut out of its live TV coverage to pick up the final round of the PGA Tour’s RBC Canadian Open.
On the first playoff hole, Henderson, showing she’s more comfortable with a new left-hand low putting grip, drained a six-footer to close out her 11th LPGA win with an eagle on the 18th hole.
Henderson made the grip change in the days leading up to the U.S. Women’s Open, where she finished tied for 15th at Pine Needles.
Seven days later, she capped off her week with a bogey-free, final-round 64 at Seaview Golf Club in Galloway, New Jersey. Henderson had five birdies and an eagle in regulation. Weaver-Wright, seeking her first LPGA win, had four birdies in her last six holes to force the extra golf session.
“People are always telling me to work on my putting, so just trying to slow progress and trying to get a little bit better and a little bit more consistent,” Henderson said after her round. “It’s been working really well and I feel a lot more comfortable, so it’s great working with my sister [who is also her caddie] and my dad, and hopefully make a ton more putts in the future.”
It’s Henderson’s 11th LPGA win and first since the 2021 Hugel-Air Premia LA Open. She now has at least one win in seven of her eight seasons on the LPGA.
The $262,500 first-place check pushes her career LPGA earnings over $9 million.
Jodi Ewart Shadoff eagled the 18th hole to get to 11 under and claim solo second. Lydia Ko and Albane Valenzuela tied for fourth at 10 under.
Brittany Lincicome, who is about six months pregnant, was in contention for most of the week but bogeys on Nos. 14 and 17 on Sunday damaged her chances. She finished tied for sixth at 9 under along with Alex Marina and Nasa Hataoka.
The defending champion of the ShopRite, Celine Boutier, finished tied for ninth at 8 under.
Next week, it’s the Meijer LPGA Classic in Belmont, Michigan, which will serve as the final tune-up for the third major on the LPGA’s 2022 schedule, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland.
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