Nanna Koerstz Madsen becomes first Dane to win on LPGA Tour

Nanna Koerstz Madsen created history by becoming the first Dane to win on the LPGA Tour, joining Ireland’s Leona Maguire in achieving such a feat since playing on a winning Solheim Cup side last year.

Koerstz Madsen added the latest chapter to an incredible run of success for Danish players by capturing the Honda LPGA Thailand in style as she holed a 10-foot eagle putt on the second extra hole in a play-off with China’s Xiyu Lin.

“It's amazing. It's a dream come true,” said 27-year-old Koerstz Madsen, who won the Tipsport Masters in the Czech Republic on the LET in 2016 but has been a member of the LPGA Tour since 2018.

“It was a crazy day,” added Koerstz Madsen, the pair having finished on 26-under-par to set a new tournament scoring record.

Dane Nanna Koerstz Madsen poses with the trophy after winning the Honda LPGA Thailand at Siam Country Club in Pattaya. Picture: Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty Images.

The win was applauded by Thomas Bjorn, a 15-time winner on the DP World Tour and a triumphant Ryder Cup captain in 2018. “Excellent,” wrote Bjorn in a post on Twitter.

“Keep them coming,” he added of this success coming on the back of no less than eight titles having fallen to Danish players on the DP World Tour and Challenge Tour since the start of August.

In South Africa, Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal secured his sixth DP World Tour title after also winning a play-off at the second extra hole in the MyGolfLife Open at Pecanwood Country Club in Hartbeespoort.

Larrazabal closed with a 67 to finish regulation play tied for the lead on 22-under with compatriot Adri Arnaus, who was unable to convert a winning opportunity on the 72nd green, and Englishman Jordan Smith.

Pablo Larrazabal celebrates after winning the MyGolfLife Open hosted by Pecanwood at Pecanwood Golf & Country Club. Picture: Warren Little/Getty Images.

Playing the 18th again in the play-off, Arnaus fell out as the other two made birdie before Larrazabal holed a five-footer for birdie as the last two standing played the same hole again.

It was Larrazabal’s second success in South Africa, having also landed the 2019 Alfred Dunhill Championship. “What a day,” he said of this successs.

Scott Jamieson tied for 18th on 15-under, two ahead of Grant Forrest, while David Law and Connor Syme both finished on 12-under.

In the weather-hit Players’ Championship on the PGA Tour, Russell Knox carded a second successive 71 at Sawgrass to comfortably make the cut on two-under, but there was an early exit for Martin Laird (72-78) on six-over.

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