First Time for Everything: New Victors in the PGA and LPGA Tours

This past weekend had its fair share of firsts out on the golf course. Both the LPGA and PGA Tours saw new victors claim their first ever trophies! Let’s take a gander at what these newcomers to the list of golfin’ greats accomplished over the weekend.

Marc Leishman shot an 8-under-par 62 to win his first PGA Tour title at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Conn. Leishman lucked out after Charley Hoffman blew a two-stroke lead, leavin’ Leishman free to scoop up the victory.

Leishman, a 28-year-old Australian, actually began the day six strokes behind. However, after makin’ eight birdies and no bogeys, he managed to finish at 14-under 266. Leishman finished up a bit early and had to wait in the clubhouse for more than two hours watchin’ to see if he managed to scrape by with a win.

“I didn’t think it was going to be enough,” Leishman said. “Golf is a funny game, a really funny game.”

Hoffman was a staggerin’ 16 under when he was headin’ to the 17th hole. A couple of bad shots led him to double bogey and then bogey the 18th hole after that after failin’ to overcome a greenside bunker.

“When it’s said and done, obviously a bad finish and a bad taste in my mouth, but you learn from it,” Hoffman said. “Any time you put yourself in contention, you learn from that.”

Hopefully, Hoffman learned his hard lesson and will be back and better than ever next time.

Leishman wasn’t the only first-time victor in the golfin’ world this weekend. Over at the LPGA Tour, Brittany Lang posted her first tour victory at the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic in Waterloo, Ontario by getting’ a birdie at the par-5 18th hole three times in a row durin’ an intense playoff. This here caveman couldn’t birdie that hole once, let alone three times straight!

In regulation play, Lang missed the birdie opportunity on that hole – a missed opportunity that left her tied with Hee Kyung Seo, Inbee Park, and Chella Choi at 16-under 268. After the first extra hole, Choi was eliminated. After the second, Park bit the dust too leavin’ Lang to take home the gold!

What’s amazin’ is that all three of these golfin’ gals – Seo, Lang, and Park – had a shot at winnin’ the event in regulation play but each of ’em messed up at one point or another leadin’ to a nail-biter of a playoff.

Congratulations to the new winners of professional golf! Hopefully, they’ve discovered that victory sure does taste sweet. This caveman sure is lookin’ forward to see what else lies in store for the new champs!