Thompson Gets LPGA Win At Rancho Mirage

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Nineteen-year-old Lexi Thompson captured the first major title of her LPGA career Sunday, winning the Kraft Nabisco Championship by three shots at Rancho Mirage, Calif.

Thompson, who began the final round tied with Michelle Wie for first place, shot a 4-under-par 68 Sunday on Mission Hills Country Club’s Dinah Shore Tournament Course. She finished the event at 14-under 274.

The win was Thompson’s fourth on the tour. Her previous best major finish was third place last year in the Evian Championship. The Coral Springs, Fla., resident won for the second time in her past eight events, and she is expected to move from ninth to sixth in the next Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.

Thompson won for the fourth time in five events when she led or was tied for the lead heading into the final round.

With the $300,000 winner’s check from the Kraft Nabisco, Thompson topped $2 million for her career. She moved to third on this year’s money list at $491,885.

Thompson was playing the Kraft Nabisco for the fourth time. Her previous best finish in the event was a tie for 21st in 2009, when she was the low amateur. She came in 48th last year in Rancho Mirage.

Wie, 24, came up short in a bid to win her first major crown. The Hawaii native shot

a 1-under 71 Sunday and wound up in second place at 277.

Ohio native Stacy Lewis fired a final-round 69 and came in third place at 281.

Florida’s Cristie Kerr and South Korea’s Se Ri Pak tied for fourth at 282. China’s Shanshan Fang took sixth place at 283. Texas’ Angela Stanford, Spain’s Azahara Munoz and England’s Charley Hull all shot 284 to share seventh place, and South Korea’s Amy Yang rounded out the top 10 at 285.

Defending champion Inbee Park of South Korea came in 38th at 292.