Stacy Lewis ends title drought with Ladies Scottish Open victory

Stacy Lewis’ three-year wait for her 13th LPGA title is over thanks to a hard-fought victory in the Ladies Scottish Open.

Lewis, 35, holed a long birdie putt to win at the first extra hole of a four-way play-off with fellow American Cheyenne Knight, 54-hole leader Azahara Munoz and Emily Pedersen.

The former world No.1 becomes the first player from the USA to win the Ladies Scottish Open since Meredith Marshall won the title at Dalmahoy in its inaugural year in 1986.

Her $225,000 winner’s cheque brings her career earnings through the $13million mark, making her the eighth player in the history of the LPGA to burst through that threshold. 

Her first win as a mother, Lewis admitted to singing her daughter Chesnee’s favourite song throughout the day, with her very own rendition of Taylor Swift’s ‘Shake It Off’ proving to be one of her most important thoughts before calmly holing from 24 feet for victory on the first play-off hole.

“I hit a good approach shot into 18 in regulation and the shot in the play-off was exactly ten yards further, so it was 8-iron, same shot and fortunately I got it started more left this time and I got it on the top shelf,” said the champ.

“Travis [her caddie] and I had been reading putts together all day and I had the line there. It was five inches outside left. I knew I needed to get it there with enough speed and, finally, after the whole back nine, I got one to go in and that was all I needed.”

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Lewis assumed an advantage early with birdies on the second and third only for Jennifer Song to take the initiative by turning in just 34 strokes. 

Muñoz, meanwhile, fell away with a bogey at the first and double-bogey at the sixth. She re-ignited her challenge on the back-nine with a gutsy display, which included a few sublime bunker shots and slick putts to post a back-nine of 33 to force her way in the play-off.

Despite her obvious disappointment, she was still smiling at the end. 

“I’m proud of myself,” said the Spaniard. “Obviously, it was a tough day and I didn’t have a good start. I got pretty unlucky on No.6. I got a plugged lie in the bunker, so I had to take an unplayable, but I fought really hard and I made some really nice putts coming in and sometimes that’s all you can do.”

Find out more

For more information on golf in Scotland, log-on to visitscotland.com/golf or click here to read a digital copy of the Official Guide To Golf In Scotland, a comprehensive guide to playing in the cradle in the game.