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The LPGA Tour headed to Seaview, Bay Course in Galloway, New Jersey for the Shoprite LPGA Classic June 10-12. The 54-hole event was held from 1986 through 2006 and returned to the schedule in 2010. Celine Boutier posted a final round of 63 last year to fend off the likes of Jin Young Ko, Inbee Park and Brooke Henderson for her 2nd career LPGA Tour win. The tournament was played on a par 71 layout of 6190 yards. The purse was $1.75 million with 500 points towards the Race to the CME Globe to the winner.

First Round

Stephanie Kyriacou vaulted out to the early lead with a round of 65 that included six birdies and no bogeys. Frida Kinhult posted a 33 on her final nine which included an eagle at the last. She finished with a 66 and was one-shot back. Brooke Henderson and Jin Young Ko were among four at four-under par. Among 13 players at three-under was Cristie Kerr, who posted a 29 on the front nine. Jeonguen Lee6, Nasa Hataoka, and Caroline Masson were other notables at three-under par.

A large group of 15 at two-under par included Hye-Jin Choi, Jenny Shin, Emma Talley, and Ayaka Furue. Those at one-under par 70 included Perinne Delacour, Mel Reid, and Celine Boutier. On the projected cut line at even was a logjam of 21 players that included Lydia Ko, Hinako Shibuno, and Inbee Park. Notables outside the projected cut line were Stacy Lewis, Anna Nordqvist, In Gee Chun, Yealimi Noh, Karrie Webb, Bronte Law, Angela Stanford, and Mina Harigae, who struggled for a 42 on the front nine and six-over.

Second Round

Scoring was excellent during the second round with the round of the day going to Isis Gabsa, who posted a 64. She was in a group of seven at four-under par, along with Stephanie Kyriacou and Jin Young Ko. Laruen Coughlin and Lydia Ko posted round of 65 and were at seven-under, and six-under, respectively. Everyone was chasing Frida Kinkult, who birdied the last hole and was at nine-under par.

Two shots off the pace were MograneMetraux and Jodi Ewart Shadoff, who posted a round of 67. Nasa Hataoka was in the mix as one of four players at six-under par. Brooke Henderson, Su Oh, and Brittany Lincicome were lurking just four shots back. Jeongeun Lee6 had an up and down round that included four birdies, three bogeys, and a double bogey. She was in a group of eight at three-under par. Stacy Lewis posted four-under on the final ten and was at two-under along with Inbee Park, Cristie Kerr, and Chella Choi.

Just inside the cut line at one-under included Bronte Law, who shot a 68, Paula Reto, Hinako Shibuno, Ayaka Furue, and Perinne Delacour. Anna Nordqvist and In Gee Chun were among the notables squeezing into the final round at even par. Despite a round of 66, Mina Harigae missed the cut. Other notables failing to make the final round were Ashleigh Buhai, Angela Stanford, Leona Maguire, and Yealimi Noh.

Final Round

Another excellent scoring day saw Celine Boutier tear up the course for a round of 63 that included seven birdies and an eagle. She finished tied for ninth at eight-under par. At the top of the leaderboard was Brooke Henderson and Lindsey Weaver-Wright. Henderson posted a 64 that included five birdies and an eagle, while Weaver-Wright was four-under over the final six holes and posted a 65. They entered a playoff where Henderson won on the first hole with an eagle. The victory was the 11th of her LPGA Tour career.

Jodi Ewart Shadoff posted a 67 and finished third at 11-under par. Lydia Ko and Albane Valenzuela finished tied for 5th at 10-under par. In a three-way tie for sixth were Nasa Hataoka, Brittany Lincicome, and Marina Alex. Along with Celine Boutier to round out the top ten were Jenny Shin and Brittany Lang. Jennifer Song’s 66 led a group of three at seven-under par. Inbee Park posted a 67 and finished tied for 15th at six-under.

Among eight at five-under included Frida Kinhult, who struggled to a 75. Also at five-under were Hinako Shibuno, Jeongeun Lee6, and Jin Young Ko. Notables included Stacy Lewis (three-under), Anna Nordqvist, Perinne Delacour, Ayaka Furue, Bronte Law (two-under), Cristie Kerr (one-under), and In Gee Chun (two-over).

Coming Up

The LPGA Tour heads to the Blythefield Country Club in Belmont, Michigan for the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give. The event, in its eighth year, is a 72-hole format on a par 72 layout of 6638 yards. Last year, Nelly Korda outlasted Leona Maguire in the final round for her fifth LPGA Tour victory. The purse is $2.5 million with 500 points towards the Race to the CME Globe for the winner.