04/19/26 09:54:00
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04/19 21:53 CDT Hannah Green rallies to win the JM Eagle LA Championship for
the 3rd time in 4 years
Hannah Green rallies to win the JM Eagle LA Championship for the 3rd time in 4
years
LOS ANGELES (AP) --- Hannah Green won the JM Eagle LA Championship on Sunday
for the third time in first four years and the first at El Caballero, holing a
12-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole after a back-nine comeback.
Six strokes behind playing partner Sei Young Kim for a few moments on the 11th
green, Green closed with a 4-under 68 to match Kim (70) and Jin Hee Im (67) at
17-under 271 on the tree-lined layout.
In the playoff on the par-4 18th, Green hit a wedge from 130 yards and curled
in the right-to-left breaking putt after Kim --- eight strokes ahead with five
holes to go Saturday in the third round --- left a 35-foot birdie try short.
"I had that putt, obviously very similar line in regulation, so I felt somewhat
comfortable," Green said. "It still was a tough putt, so really glad it went in
the hole."
Im --- penalized a stroke for slow play Saturday --- reached the green in three
after hitting her drive to the right.
Green also won the event in 2023 and 2024 at Wilshire Country Club. The
29-year-old Australian player joined Hyo Joo Kim as the only two-time winners
this season on the LPGA Tour and ran her worldwide 2026 victory total to four.
Green has eight career LPGA Tour victories. She won the tour's HSBC Women's
World Championship in Singapore early last month and also took the Women's
Australian Open and Australian WPGA.
Sei Young Kim took a two-stroke lead into the round and had a three-shot edge
on the back nine.
"Just little disappointed because I had a good chance for the win," she said.
"Yeah, but she's play well. Strong finish back nine.
The tournament was played at El Caballero for the second straight year because
of course renovations at Wilshire. The Chevron Championship, the first women's
major of the year, will start Thursday in Houston.
After Sei Young Kim chipped in for eagle on the 11th to leave Green six shots
back, Green followed with a birdie on the hole to get a shot back. She then
birdied Nos. 13-16 --- missing a 5-foot eagle putt on 16 --- and pulled even
with Sei Young Kim and Im --- who made a 60-footer for eagle on 16 --- when Sei
Young Kim bogeyed the par-3 17th.
"I honestly didn't think I was in the tournament still," Green said. "I was
just like, `Oh, well just go for as many pins as possible.' And got on a nice
stretch there. I kind of thought the putt that I missed on 16 was the crucial
moment. I mean, I'm just fortunate enough that I at least got into the playoff."
Ina Yoon was a stroke out of the playoff after a 69. She eagled the 16th,
birdied the 17th and nearly holed a 30-foot birdie try on 18,
Former UCLA star Patty Tavatanakit (70) was 14 under with Haeran Ryu (66).
First-round leader Chizzy Iwai (70) was 12 under with Minami Katsu (68).
Amateur Asterisk Talley tied for 13th at 9 under after a 70. The 17-year-old
Talley played her first event since losing the lead on the back nine in the
Augusta National Women's Amateur.
"It's great just to get to play with the pros and get some learning
experience," said Talley, also in the field for The Chevron.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
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