Angela Stanford’s long wait for major ends at Evian Championship

After 18 years on the LPGA Tour, Angela Stanford finally won her first major championship Sunday at the Evian Championship.

Angela Stanford couldn’t help but show her emotions on Sunday. After 18 years of wondering if her time would come, she finally achieved the one thing missing from her career: a major championship.

Stanford, the 40-year-old making her 76th start in a major, secured that elusive trophy at the Evian Championship with a final round 68 to get to 12-under, a shot ahead of four players.

Amy Olson, the overnight leader, looked to have the championship locked up as she came to the 72nd hole with a one shot lead. Just moments earlier, Stanford had seen her birdie putt at the 18th slide by the edge of the cup. Olson, herself looking for her first major, now needed only a par on the closing hole to win.

Her drive, however, settled in the rough. Her second shot came up short in more thick rough, then her third settled 40 feet away from the hole. Missing the par putt to win the championship, she then missed the eight-foot comebacker for bogey to complete the collapse.

More from LPGA

• Swedish golfing sensation Linn Grant joins winner’s circle with LPGA victory at Dana Open
• Rose Zhang’s star turn at the KPMG Women’s PGA makes her the one to watch at next major: US Open
• KPMG Women’s PGA Championship: Youthful Ruoning Yin steals victory from cavalry of contenders
• How to bet on Rose Zhang at KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
• Meijer LPGA Classic betting preview: Odds and predictions

Suddenly, Stanford went from hoping to get into a playoff to winning the title outright. She couldn’t hold back the tears as she accepted the trophy that ended all those long years of waiting.

Fifteen years ago, Stanford had her best opportunity when she lost in a playoff at the U.S. Open to Hilary Lunke. At the time she was still new to the LPGA Tour and thought she had several more opportunities ahead of her.

“I remember my first time being in contention was in 2003 at the Open, and I was in a playoff. And I didn’t know at the time how close I was,” she said on Sunday. “Because it was only my third year, I had no idea what I was doing, to be perfectly honest.”

Stanford had five previous LPGA wins, the last more than six years ago, but had never been that close again until Sunday in France.

Beginning the final round five back of Olson, Stanford closed the gap with two early birdies on the front-nine. Then, at the par-five 15th, an eagle tied her for the lead.

But at the 16th, it appeared her hopes would once again be dashed when her tee shot at the par-three found the water. On her third shot, she missed the ball completely, the club sliding underneath it. Still in the rough around the green, she composed herself and hit a good chip shot to get up-and-down for double bogey.

Stanford, however, still didn’t give up hope even after that setback. She didn’t come all this way after all these years to let one bad shot deter her.

“I had that moment on 16 tee today,” she said. “Here you are again, this is how close as you’ve been in I don’t know how long. So now what?

“I kind of told myself that I had to kind of be who I am. I do a lot of dumb things, I make a lot of bad swings, I do a lot of stupid stuff. But I’m also a grinder, and I’m also a fighter, and I’m also never going to quit. And, at that moment, I needed to be me.”

Stanford showed her tenacity on 17, rebounding with a birdie to get to 12-under. Even with the missed birdie on 18, that proved enough after Olson’s collapse.

The victory was even more special for Stanford because of what she’s gone through in her personal life. Her mother is battling breast cancer for the second time. Stanford says her first thoughts after winning were on her mother, but they were both too emotional to say anything.

“I tried to talk to her earlier,” she said. “But she was crying and I was still kinda of still crying. So I’ll give them a call when I get back to the hotel. But I think they’re excited.”

Austin Ernst, Mo Martin and Sei Young Kim tied for second with Olson at 11-under, Martin and Kim both missing birdie putts at the 18th.

For Stanford, the win is vindication for the years of struggle and hard work she’s gone through. The emotion she felt the most was relief that it’s finally paid off.

“It’s relieving. Again, I thought I was good enough, but the results kept showing something else,” she said.

“It’s nice not to be in that category anymore.”