JENNIFER JOHNSON BECOMES FIRST TIME WINNER ON LPGA TOUR

FROM THE LPGA TOUR.COM WEBSITE
Jennifer Johnson shot a final-round 7-under 65 to become a Rolex First-Time Winner at the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic.  
The Carlsbad, California native carded rounds of 67-70-65-65 to break the tournament record with a 21-under par 267 total and finished one stroke ahead of Pornanong Phatlum and Jessica Korda. A group of five players finished in a tie for fourth at 19-under par including Karrie Webb, Jiyai Shin, Ariya Juatnugarn, Chella Choi and Anna Nordqvist.
Johnson started the day three strokes off the lead heading into the final round and knew another solid day would be needed to even stay in contention. 
She carded four of her eight birdies on the front nine along with her lone bogey of the round on the par 4 5th hole. She made the turn at 17-under and one stroke behind Jessica Korda who played in the group following her. But it wasn’t until the final nine holes that Johnson really set her eye on the prize.
“I'm a little shocked, I didn't even realize I shot 65,” said Johnson. “The whole back nine was kind of like a ‑‑ I don't know, I don't know what was happening.  And yeah, the birdie putt on 17, that's when I started to think a little bit more about winning the tournament, on 17.  A little bit on the front nine, but you can't afford to think about that.”
Four groups ahead of Johnson, Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum pushed herself up with leaderboard with five birdies on the back nine including three-consecutive to close out the round as the clubhouse leader at 20-under. 
Johnson tried to keep track of the close race around her and as she went to finish on No. 17 at 20-under par, she knew it would come down to the last two holes.
“Oh,  I was definitely aware,” said Johnson. “Before I hit my birdie putt on 17, I saw that Pornanong was tied with me at 20 and I didn't want a playoff so I was like, I'm going to make this thing.”
She sank the 15-foot birdie putt for the lead at 21-under and said her flatstick has been the part of her game holding her out of the winner’s circle. 
"Johnson switched to a new putter and changed her stroke during the off week following a missed cut at the Kingsmill Championship
“The putter has kind of been the missing link all the tournaments because I'm hitting the ball so well and when they go in, it really helps score,” said Johnson. 
“Before this week I had experimented with more of a forward press and it just doesn't fit my style of putting.  So I worked with my coach on making it kind of more like a pendulum and this new putter that I put in play really emphasizes that, and so I can like stroke it easier and I don't have to work as hard to get it like rolling on line.”
Johnson had to wait out the final two groups to see if she would earn her first-career win as a tour pro. She looked to be lucky due to an untimely bogey by Jessica Korda on the 17th to drop her to 19-under and failure to convert on the final two holes by Karrie Webb, Chella Choi and Anna Nordqvist. 
Once Choi and Nordqvist failed to eagle the final hole, Johnson knew the title was hers. The first-time winner, who is known for a strict work ethic, said she will try to enjoy the victory but was already talking about her second win.
“I'm always looking ahead,” said Johnson. “I've got to try and relax more. Oh, it means a lot.  Since I played my first tournament, I was 9, and when I was about 12 or 13 I wanted to play on the LPGA.  So like nine years, this is kind of what I've worked for.”
Well-fed and finish well: Jennifer Johnson seems to play well on a happy and full stomach and appreciates a good barbecue when she tastes one. Johnson, whose previous career-best finish came at the Navistar LPGA Classic in 2011, said that she loves playing in Alabama for its southern hospitality and delicious menu options.
“I think the barbecue has something to do with it because I'm a real foodie and when I eat good, I'm happy,” said Johnson. 
“And in both these locations I've been eating barbecue and good tea and pudding and that has a lot to do with my mindset more than I think.”
Solheim statement: The countdown to the 2013 Solheim Cup is on and with eight events remaining to earn points toward the team, Texan Stacy Lewis continues to maintain a commanding lead in the race, but Jennifer Johnson makes a statement by earning 60 points with her win on Sunday. She currently ranks 10th in points with 140. “My caddie and I, it's been in the back of our minds and we're trying to get as many points as we can rack up,” said Johnson. “Hopefully Meg (US team captain) will notice me a little more now.” 
2013 U.S. Solheim Cup Point Standings
1          Stacy Lewis                 783.50  
2          Cristie Kerr                  408.00  
3          Paula Creamer              379.50  
4          Angela Stanford            297.00  
5          Brittany Lincicome        215.00  
6          Lexi Thompson            192.00  
7          Jessica Korda              190.50  
8          Lizette Salas                168.00  
9          Brittany Lang               154.00  
10        Jennifer Johnson          140.00
  
The top eight spots will automatically qualify for the team. Spots nine and 10 on the 2013 U.S. Solheim Cup Team will be determined by the Rolex Rankings which will be updated on Monday morning. Additionally, U.S. Team Captain Meg Mallon will have two picks to round out the squad.
Kia Drive to the Top: With her ninth place finish, Stacy Lewis tallies another top-10 finish this week and keeps her lead in the Kia Performance Awards “Drive to the Top” category for most top-10s. She now has eight top-10 finishes in 10 events played this season and extends her lead to three over Inbee Park. 
Lewis claimed the inaugural Kia Drive to the Top award in 2012 and drove away with a brand-new Kia Optima at the Tour’s season-finale at the CME Group Titleholders in Naples, Florida
Golden ticket winners: Jennifer Johnson, Karrie Webb and Anna Nordqvist punched their "Ticket to CME Group Titleholders" at the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic, each earning a spot in the season-ending CME Group Titleholders event, which will be held from November 21-24. 
The third-annual CME Group Titleholders is a season finale with a field made up of three qualifiers from every LPGA Tour tournament that year.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
Players from USA unless stated
267 Jennifer Johnson 67 70 65 65
268 Pornanong Phatum (Thailand) 69 65 71 63, Jessica Korda 66 65 69 68.
269 Jiyai Shin (South Korea) 72 66 68 63, Ariya Jutanugarn (Thailand) 69 66 69 65. Karrie Webb (Australia) 69 63 6 9 68, Chella Choi (South Korea) 67 66 66 70, Anna Nordqvist (Sweden) 73  66 61 69.    
270 Stacy Lewis 70 70 67 67

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