By CRAIG DOLCH
Special to PGA of America
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PORT ST. LUCIE (Feb. 18, 2020) – With a two-shot lead on the final hole of the PGA Women’s Stroke Play Championship, Lisa Grimes of Alexandria, Minn., tried to punch a 7-iron through trees.
“I pulled it a little,” Grimes said, “and it rattled.”
Grimes did not get rattled by the moment Tuesday.
Off the pine straw, she hit it to 45 feet and calmly two-putted for bogey to win the PGA Women’s Stroke Play Championship by a shot over Sherry Andonian of Centennial, Colo., at PGA Golf Club.
The victory earned Grimes, at 59 the second-oldest player in the field, a spot in this year’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship June 25-28 at Aronimink Golf Club in Newton Square, Pa., a Tiffany bracelet and a first-place prize of $2,100. Grimes, who has five grandchildren, estimated she has played in about 20 majors.
“At my age, any win is great,” said Grimes, the PGA Director of Instruction at Alexandria Golf Club. “I don’t care if it’s a one-day pro-am or something like this. It’s always nice to win. But I don’t think about age. It’s not a factor to me.”
It was Grimes’ second title in this event in the last three years; she also won in 2018. She made it interesting Tuesday after her drive at No. 18 on the Ryder Course bounded behind the trees.
“It was my fault,” Grimes said. “I didn’t notice they moved the tees up and I hit it on the line to avoid the bunker. That was silly. I had pulled off that punch shot earlier in the round (at the 14th hole) and I thought I could do it again.”
But Grimes made the key bogey save to shoot 1-under 71 and finish at 4-under 212. That was just enough to beat Andonian, who shot the low round of the tournament, a 5-under 67. Andonian, 57, missed a 15-foot birdie on the 18th hole that would have gotten her in a playoff.
“I thought I had a chance (to win),” Andonian said. “I was trying to make that putt at 18. “My putter was amazing. I don’t usually play well on Bermuda grass.”
Ashley Grier (71) of Springfield, Pa., tied for third place with Jenny Suh (73) of Palm Beach Gardens. It was Grier’s fourth top-five finish in the PGA Women’s Stroke Play Championship.
Defending champion Joanna Coe of Lutherville Timonium, Md., was fifth (72-217).
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