Ingrid Lindblad wins LA Championship for first LPGA Tour victory

Swedish rookie Ingrid Lindblad claims maiden LPGA title with 21-under finish at El Caballero Country Club.

Ingrid Lindblad of Sweden poses with the winner's trophy after the final round of the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro 2025 at El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana, California, on April 20, 2025. Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

Ingrid Lindblad wins the LA Championship in style, becoming the latest Swedish talent to break through on the LPGA Tour. The 25-year-old LPGA rookie delivered a poised and consistent performance at El Caballero Country Club in Los Angeles on Sunday, carding a four-under-par 68 in the final round to capture her maiden title on the tour.

The result capped off a remarkable debut stretch for Lindblad, who was making just her third start on the LPGA Tour. Her 21-under-par total of 267 was enough to hold off surging charges from Germany’s Ester Henseleit and Japan’s Nasa Hataoka, who posted rounds of 64 and 63, respectively, to pressure the Swedish standout until the very end.

Final-round composure seals historic breakthrough

Lindblad began Sunday’s final round sharing the lead with Japan’s Akie Iwai and American Lauren Coughlin. With several players clustered near the top of the leaderboard, Lindblad needed to remain steady throughout the round. She did exactly that—firing six birdies over her first 11 holes while limiting damage to just two bogeys. From the 12th onward, she parred every hole, including a nerve-wracking escape on the par-four 13th.

Her tee shot on the 13th veered into the trees, prompting concern that her momentum might unravel. However, fortune smiled on her when the ball ricocheted back into playable territory.

“I had hit pretty good tee shots on that hole so felt pretty confident,” Lindblad explained after the round. “I think the left miss is almost better than the right because it kicks down in the fairway. I don’t know the camera guy up there, but he said there’s a little squirrel who was nice to you and bumped it out into the fairway.”

Whether by luck or timing, the bounce allowed Lindblad to escape with a par and keep her round intact. With her competitors gaining ground, every par proved critical, especially as Iwai faltered with a costly bogey at the final hole, which prevented a playoff.

Stellar field pushes Lindblad to the limit

Ingrid Lindblad’s LA Championship win did not come easily. Germany’s Ester Henseleit launched herself into contention with an electrifying 64, finishing at 19-under for the tournament. Japan’s Nasa Hataoka, equally relentless, carded the lowest round of the day with a blistering nine-under 63, matching Henseleit’s overall total.

Meanwhile, Iwai and Coughlin stayed within striking distance throughout Sunday, with Iwai missing a chance to force a playoff on the 18th. Coughlin, who had also shared the overnight lead, ended up tied for third after a round that included bogeys on the fifth and 18th holes. Despite the setbacks, the American was encouraged by her overall performance.

“I felt like I played really solid. Hit some really good shots. Just couldn’t get the putts to go in today,” Coughlin said. “But overall I played really, really good golf all week, so a lot of good things to take away going into our first major next week.”

Japan’s Miyu Yamashita also tied for third, shooting a six-under 66 to close out her tournament at 19-under. It was one of the most competitive leaderboards of the LPGA season so far, featuring five players finishing within two strokes of the lead.

Lindblad: ‘You should never not expect it’

Reflecting on her victory, Lindblad acknowledged the surreal nature of winning so early in her professional career.

“You should never not expect it, right?” she said. “But obviously got it done in a couple starts — just kind of crazy.”

She noted that while her front nine provided several scoring opportunities, her pace slowed somewhat on the back nine. Still, it was enough to secure the title.

“I made a couple birdies on the front nine and kind of just slowed down on the back. Obviously feel like I could have had a couple more on the back nine. But here we are.”

A promising start for Sweden’s next golf star

With her win, Ingrid Lindblad becomes the latest Swedish golfer to make her mark on the global stage. She now joins a legacy of successful Swedish women on the LPGA Tour, following in the footsteps of legends like Annika Sörenstam and Anna Nordqvist. Her poised final round under pressure, coupled with a bit of luck and solid course management, points to a promising future.

El Caballero Country Club posed unique challenges throughout the tournament, but Lindblad’s balance of aggressive play and conservative course strategy proved effective. Her 21-under total is one of the lowest winning scores of the season so far, highlighting both her consistency and shot-making prowess.

Looking ahead to the LPGA major season

The LA Championship served as a pivotal warm-up ahead of the LPGA’s first major of the year, the Chevron Championship in Houston. For Lindblad, the timing of her first LPGA Tour win couldn’t be better.

Her confidence will now be soaring heading into the season’s most prestigious events. As a new but already proven talent, Lindblad is sure to be among the names to watch—not only in Houston but throughout the rest of the tour calendar.

Meanwhile, world number one Nelly Korda had an off day on Sunday. A double bogey on the 18th left her with an even-par 72, placing her in a tie for 16th. Korda, who had been in top form leading into the event, will also look to reset as the majors approach.

A defining moment

Ingrid Lindblad’s LA Championship win will likely be remembered as a defining moment in her young career. For a player with just three LPGA starts to her name, the composure she displayed under Sunday pressure was nothing short of remarkable.

While her rise might seem sudden, those who followed Lindblad’s amateur career will know this performance was a long time coming. As she takes her place among the LPGA’s growing list of international stars, the Swedish rookie has made one thing clear — she belongs.

And with her first LPGA Tour title already in the bag, the journey is just beginning.