Stanford Rides Roller Coaster To Evian Victory

Her first major win after 18 years on Tour.

- Elspeth Burnside

American veteran Angela Stanford shot a final-round 68 to score a shock victory in the final major of the season, the Evian Championship. Stanford thought she had lost her chance of victory when she failed to make birdie at the 18th but Amy Olson, who had led all day, then took a double-bogey six at the last.

Stanford finished on 12-under-par 272 and won the US$577,000 first prize by a shot from Olson (74), Mo Martin (70), Kim Sei-young (72) and Austin Ernst (68). The 40-year-old Stanford, 18 years a professional, had finally won a major, "I really don't know what has just happened," said Stanford, unable to hold back the tears. "But I am so happy. Sometimes things just catch you off guard. Just when you think you're done then this happens. It's pretty cool."

Stanford was the first American to win the Evian Championship since it became a major five years ago. "I do feel sorry for Amy," Stanford said. "I wasn't rooting for her to miss the putt on 18. But she is young, and her time will come. You always think you're good enough to win a major, but after 18 years on Tour doubts definitely begin to creep in," said Stanford, who came close to winning the 2003 US Women’s Open but lost by one stroke to Hilary Lunke in a three-way 18-hole play-off. "I never thought about winning until the 16th. And then we know what happened. But I am a grinder and a fighter, and I never give up.

The Rolex ANNIKA Major Award