Lexi Thompson Narrowly Misses Winning Second Major Title

Sunday started at Congressional with Lexi Thompson maintaining her charge from the third round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship. She caught 54-hole leader In Gee Chun after birdieing the 1st and 3rd holes. Thompson took the lead on the 4th following Chun's second bogey of the day.

“You always want to be in the final group,” Thompson said Saturday, “in any tournament that you're putting yourself in contention and a chance to win.”

Even with posting her first bogey in 20 holes on the seventh, the American built a two-shot lead with nine holes remaining to get in position for the second major title of her career.

She posted a topsy-turvy back nine with two birdies and four bogeys to undo her chances to take the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship home. Instead, she finished with a one-over par 73 Sunday. The T2 finish is the 21^st runner-up result of her career.

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“Not the outcome I wanted,” Thompson posted to Instagram, “but still a special week getting to play Congressional Country Club in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.”

Thompson broke through to seven-under par with seven holes to play with a birdie on the par-5 11^th. Fans chanted her name as she maintained her two-stroke advantage. After bogeys on 12 and 14, Thompson’s lead trickled down to one. Then, on the challenging par-4 15^th, from the first cut, Thompson knocked home a key uphill putt to rebuild her lead to two.

The par-5 16^th became the start of Thompson's final undoing. On the same hole that In Gee Chun double bogeyed on Saturday, Thompson piped her drive safely and then knocked her second around the green for a prime opportunity for back-to-back birdies. She couldn't capitalize, bogeying the hole. Chun rattled home her second birdie of the round for a two-shot swing.

With two to play, Chun and Thompson sat all square at five-under par. Chun regained a one-stroke lead after a pushed short par putt by Thompson on 17.

In a final effort, from the right rough on the 18th, Thompson put her approach within 15 feet. Chun's approach went to the back of the green and ran her first putt four-feet past the hole before making the par putt.
 
Thompson's tying bid fell short.