Swedish rookie Ingrid Lindblad wore a friendship bracelet that said: “be where your feet are.”
It was a gift from her former Louisiana State University assistant golf coach Alexis Rather. Later, Rather added “IFL” on there. It stands for Ingrid (expletive) Lindblad.
In other words, be your confident self. And Lindblad did just that.
Lindblad shot a final-round four-under 68 to win the JM Eagle LA Championship at 21-under for her first LPGA victory.
It came down to the wire at El Caballero Country Club for the former top-ranked amateur in the world. Lindblad entered the day as a three-way co-leader and waited – but didn’t watch – as fellow rookie Akie Iwai needed to get up-and-down to save par to force a playoff. Iwai missed her putt and bogeyed.
Lindblad, 25, had been thinking about winning after a five-year All-American career at LSU and then a stint on the Epson Tour in which she won once last year.
“I said winning wasn’t such a crazy goal,” Lindblad said. “I said that maybe two to three times to media, and here we are. I might need to put up some more goals.”
What a time for a win, as Lindblad heads into the LPGA Tour’s first major of the season, the Chevron Challenge at The Club at Carlton Woods in Texas.
She also won’t have to qualify to get into the US Women’s Open, as this win puts her in the field at Erin Hills Golf Course.
After the win, Lindblad hugged her mother, Cecilia, and they both cried tears of joy. Her mum just arrived to the US from Sweden one week ago to travel with Lindblad for a month. Talk about good timing.
Then Swede Madelene Sagstrom, who won the T-Mobile Match Play Championship [the previous event] waited to see if Lindblad would win so she could congratulate her. She popped the cork on a bottle of champagne and doused the already-bubbly Lindblad.
“I just got a text from Alexis, our assistant coach, and it’s just wonderful,” Sagstrom said. “I know how good she is. This was always going to happen, but it’s so nice to see it.”
Sagstrom then guided Cecilia out to the 18th green for the trophy presentation. It was 21 years ago at “El Cab”, that fellow countrywoman Annika Sorenstam won the last time the LPGA Tour was here. It was her 50th win in a Hall of Fame career that would see her win 72 times.
And now another Swedish golfer has begun her career with a win.
Lindblad walked around El Caballero Country Club with the confidence of a veteran though she’s a rookie. There’s a swagger about this rookie class. Lindblad is the second rookie to win on tour this season, following Rio Takeda’s victory in the Blue Bayou LPGA. Akie Iwai has now finished second twice.
“I think it’s pretty good competition. It was really good competition out on Epson Tour last year, too,” Lindblad said. “Just shows that the rookies, I mean, we’re not here to mess around. We come out here for a reason, and I think it shows that we’re ready to be out here.”
Lindblad earned $US562,500 for the win. After the third round in which she held the co-lead, Lindblad thought about upgrading her and her mum’s seats to first class if she won. She checked, and they were already taken.
“It’s unbelievable,” Cecilia said. “I didn’t believe it. It’s been a long journey. She’s been taking it step by step. She started at five and has had the same pro.”
Lindblad has designs on winning more. After all, she’s following in the footsteps of Sorenstam. And, she’s got that motto on her bracelet.
