Nanna Koerstz Madsen began the final round in Thailand with an eagle and ended her day the same way, draining a 10-foot putt on the second playoff hole against Xiyu “Janet” Lin, to secure her first LPGA title. Koerstz Madsen became the first player from Denmark to win on tour.
“It’s amazing. It’s a dream come true,” said Koerstz Madsen, who along with Lin set a new scoring record of 26-under 262 at the Honda LPGA Thailand.
China’s Lin, who was also looking for her first LPGA title, birdied her last two holes in regulation as well as the two playoff holes. Lin closed with a 6-under 66 on the steamy Old Course at Siam Country Club.
“I’m very proud,” said Lin. “Sometimes it’s just weird. You shot 26 under and then cannot win a tournament. But that’s my lowest ever shot in a tournament week, and like four days of very solid golf. Like I’m going to take a lot from this.”
Koerstz Madsen, whose fiancé Nicki Hansen caddies for her on tour, caught a flier on the par-5 18th hole in regulation that led to a closing bogey. She rebounded by playing the two playoff holes in three under. Koerstz Madsen is known for sometimes carrying lemons in her golf bag that she sucks on to help keep her calm and focused.
Last year at the AIG Women’s British Open, Koerstz Madsen came into the 72nd hole tied with Anna Nordqvist but suffered a heart-breaking double-bogey on the taxing 18th that included a shocking shank from a green-side bunker.
That now seems a distant memory.
Koerstz Madsen, 27, joins Leona Maguire as the only first-time winners thus far in 2022. Both competed on the victorious European Solheim Cup team at Inverness in 2021. Koerstz Madsen won three times on the Epson Tour in 2017 to earn a “Battlefield Promotion” to the LPGA.
“I mean, Janet, she really fought,” said Koerstz Madsen. “She finished up birdie-birdie, so she played amazing, too. Yes, I’m not going to lie, I was a little nervous there.”
Celine Boutier finished one shot out of the playoff in third at 25 under. Amy Yang, a three-time winner of this event, tied for fourth with Brooke Henderson at 23 under.
Yuka Saso, the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open champion, made a final-round push with a career-low 10-under 62 that included eight birdies and a pitch-in for eagle from 30 yards on the par-4 15th. Saso’s round tied the tournament low set by Jessica Korda in 2018.
