INDIANA — Angela Stanford was five-shots back of the lead when she teed up her ball for the final round of the 2023 Senior LPGA Championship.
A bogey-free 65 (-7) would launch Stanford up the leaderboard with a birdie on the last being the winning putt for the championship, but she was unaware of that at the time.
“When I saw the leaderboard coming up 18, I saw Trish was at -13,” said Stanford. “I think at that point I was pretty upset because I felt like I didn’t have a chance, which is probably why that putt went in. I hit it pretty hard because I was pretty upset with myself.”
She didn’t have to as she garnered just enough steam to rule the 2023 Senior LPGA Championship at Sultan’s Run Golf Club in Jasper, Indiana.
The final day of play at the 2023 Senior LPGA Championship was a race against the clock with impending weather and darkness trying to spoil the party. When the final putt dropped on 18, the Legends Tour crowned a new champion.
Stanford will have a quick turnaround after a whirlwind of a week, as she is on her way to play in the 2023 US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach in a week’s time. The Texas native is a regular name at the top of the leaderboards on the LPGA Tour, collecting 100 top-10 finishes and 7 victories in her career.
Now, in her first stop on the Legends Tour, she is taking home some hardware to add to her collection and give her some confidence heading into the biggest purse in women’s golf.
‘When I saw the leaderboard coming up 18, I saw Trish was at -13.’
“I’m leaving with more confidence than I had before I came here, that’s for sure,” said Stanford.
“I think I just figured some things out, and I got my mind right this week. I have had some confidence issues lately and this week was figuring out how to get back to basics. I was nervous out there over a lot of putts which is good for me heading into next week.”
Trish Johnson held the 36-hole lead and continued to hold up until the 54th hole of the tournament. Johnson went into No. 17 with a four-shot lead and when she left the green, she was tied.
A triple-bogey from Johnson after a wayward tee-shot, paired with a Stanford birdie on No. 18, made it a four-shot swing in a matter of 15 minutes.
The tee-shot on No. 18 for Johnson found trouble on the edge of the fairway bunker and all she could manage was a punch out. After a tidy approach shot, the two-time Senior LPGA Champion had a 12-foot putt to force a playoff, but the putt slide just by the hole on the low side. With the missed putt on 18, Johnson saw a third title slip out of her hands at the last moment.
“My game was great for about 16 holes,” said Johnson. “I ended triple, then bogey to finish. Not much more you can say really, just a horrendous finish. It was obviously very, very disappointing. Literally throwing the tournament away, but life goes on there are worse things.”
