BALLYMENA, Northern Ireland — It was the happiest of birthdays for Alexa Pano. She rang in her 19th year of life by claiming her maiden LPGA win, defeating Gabriella Cowley with a birdie on the third playoff hole of the ISPS Handa World Invitational in Northern Ireland.
“I’ve kind of been saying that I really wanted to win this event because it’s on my birthday,” Pano said after becoming the youngest winner on tour this year.
“My best friend can contest it’s been for like two months. It feels so surreal that it’s happened.”
Pano became a recognizable name roughly 10 years ago when she was featured in “The Short Game,” a Netflix documentary. Last year, she bypassed a collegiate career to turn pro and earned her LPGA card at Q-Series in the fall.
Pano shot a 6-under 66 in the final round on the Galgorm course for a three-way tie with Cowley (70) and Germany´s Esther Henseleit (69) on 8-under totals of 281 in the tournament that is co-sanctioned by the European men’s tour and the LPGA Tour.
Cowley led after the third round but needed an eagle on the 18th to make the playoff, where Henseleit was eliminated on the first extra hole.
Cowley then missed a three-foot birdie putt for the win on the second playoff hole, and Pano took full advantage by making a birdie when the players returned to the par-five 18th for a third time.
“I´ve kind of been saying that I really wanted to win this event because it´s on my birthday,” Pano said. “It feels so surreal that it´s happened.
Brown’s victory in the men’s event was a lot more straightforward as the Englishman led from day one and closed with a 69 for a 15-under total of 266, five shots clear of compatriot Alex Fitzpatrick.
The 28-year-old started the day with a six-shot lead which was briefly cut to just two strokes before three birdies in the four holes made sure of his first career victory.
“It´s amazing,” Brown said. “I could never have dreamed this up over the past however many years. I don´t think it´s sunk in.”
The tournament was staged at the parkland Galgorm Castle Golf Club and the links at Castlerock Golf Club. Every men´s and women´s player played one round at each venue over the first two days, before all the action took place at Galgorm for the final two rounds.
On the second playoff hole, Pano saved par despite hitting her tee shot into the trees, and Cowley missed a 4-foot birdie putt that would have given her the victory.
Pano took advantage of the second chance, making birdie on the next go-around to become the third rookie to win on tour this year, alongside Rose Zhang and Grace Kim.
“Just feels so surreal right now,” Pano said. “I can’t actually process that that just happened.”
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