Green Captures Third JM Eagle LA Championship in Dramatic Playoff
Hannah Green won the JM Eagle LA Championship for the third time in four years, sinking a 12-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole after an incredible back-nine rally at El Caballero.
Green, who was six strokes behind playing partner Sei Young Kim at one point on the 11th green, fired a final-round 68 to finish at 17-under 271, forcing a three-way playoff with Kim (70) and Jin Hee Im (67).
In the playoff on the par-4 18th, Green hit a wedge from 130 yards and curled in a right-to-left breaking putt after Kim — who had led by eight strokes with five holes left in the third round — left her 35-foot birdie attempt short.
“I had that putt, obviously very similar line in regulation, so I felt somewhat comfortable,” Green said. “It still was a tough putt, so really glad it went in the hole.”
Im, who had been penalized a stroke for slow play on Saturday, reached the playoff green in three after driving into the right rough.
The 29-year-old Australian has now won this event three times, with her previous victories coming at Wilshire Country Club in 2023 and 2024. The tournament moved to El Caballero for the second straight year due to renovations at Wilshire.
Green joins Hyo Joo Kim as the only two-time winners on the LPGA Tour this season and has now collected four worldwide victories in 2026. Her LPGA Tour win total now stands at eight, including the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore earlier this year. She’s also claimed the Women’s Australian Open and Australian WPGA.
Dramatic Comeback
Kim entered Sunday with a two-stroke advantage and extended it to three on the back nine. The turning point came at the 11th hole, where Kim chipped in for eagle, momentarily pushing her lead to six shots.
“I honestly didn’t think I was in the tournament still,” Green admitted. “I was just like, ‘Oh, well just go for as many pins as possible.'”
That aggressive mindset paid off. Green birdied the 11th immediately after Kim’s eagle, then caught fire with birdies on holes 13 through 16 — though she missed a crucial 5-foot eagle putt on the 16th that could have given her the outright lead.
Green pulled even when Kim bogeyed the par-3 17th. Im, meanwhile, made a spectacular 60-foot eagle putt on 16 to join them at 17-under.
“Got on a nice stretch there,” Green said. “I kind of thought the putt that I missed on 16 was the crucial moment. I mean, I’m just fortunate enough that I at least got into the playoff.”
Kim was understandably disappointed after letting the sizeable lead slip away. “Just little disappointed because I had a good chance for the win,” she said. “Yeah, but she’s play well. Strong finish back nine.”
Near Misses and What’s Next
Ina Yoon finished just a stroke out of the playoff after a closing 69. She made a late charge with an eagle on 16 and birdie on 17, but her 30-foot birdie try on 18 narrowly missed.
Former UCLA star Patty Tavatanakit (70) finished at 14-under alongside Haeran Ryu (66). First-round leader Chizzy Iwai (70) ended at 12-under with Minami Katsu (68).
Amateur Asterisk Talley tied for 13th at 9-under after a final-round 70. The 17-year-old was playing her first event since losing the lead on the back nine at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
“It’s great just to get to play with the pros and get some learning experience,” said Talley, who will also compete in next week’s Chevron Championship.
Green won’t have much time to celebrate as she heads directly to Houston for the season’s first major.
“It’s going to be really hard to come back down to earth next week, so it’s going to be my next challenge,” Green said. “I’m going to be on a flight tonight to Houston, so I don’t know if I’m getting much rest.”
