Brittany Lincicome out-duels Stacy Lewis in playoff for ANA Inspiration title

Brittany Lincicome won the first major of the 2015 golf season with an overtime victory over Stacy Lewis.

Lincicome ended a day of dramatic lead changes and a Groundhog Day-like three return trips to the 18th tee with a par on the third playoff hole Sunday at the ANA Inspiration.

Both players came from behind to finish in a 9-under tie after 72 holes at the newly titled ANA Inspiration, the first major championship of the 2015 golf season.

Lincicome charged up the leaderboard in Sunday’s finale at Mission Hills, posting a final-round 3-under 69. Not realizing the significance of her last putt in regulation, the 2009 ANA (then, the Kraft Nabisco) winner made an eagle-3 on the 72nd hole of the tournament, the par-5 18th.

Long with her approach shot on the first playoff hole, she came up short with her birdie putt from the fringe at 18.

Lewis, the winner on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course in 2011, needed a four to win the event but laid up on 18 and missed her birdie putt. A comebacker for par and a 70 finish forced overtime. Her attempt to earn another leap into Poppie’s Pond stopped just shy of the cup as well and it was back to the tee at 18 for another shot at the title.

Solid approach shots from each gave Lewis an advantage, with Lincicome’s 20-footer some five feet back of hers and on a similar line. Incredibly, both putts just burned the left edge and it was back to the tee again.

Lewis caught a bad break when her second shot found a sand-filled divot and she failed to reach the green with a wedge. A poor chip shot left her well below the hole and she two-putted for bogey.

Lincicome, meanwhile, came up pin-high out of the rough and finally won the game with a two-putt par. It was Lincicome’s sixth LPGA Tour win and first since 2011. It earned her, and her entourage, another leap into Poppie’s Pond.