The American golfer Lexi Thompson has become the youngest champion in the LPGA's 61-year history, the 16-year-old prodigy firing a two-under par 70 to capture the Navistar Classic by five strokes in Alabama.
Thompson, who is seven months and eight days beyond her 16th birthday, finished 72 holes on 17-under par 271 at the 1 and a half million dollar event.
American Marlene Hagge won the 18-hole Sarasota Open in 1952 just two weeks past her 18th birthday to become what had been the youngest LPGA champion.
Paula Creamer, another American, was nine months and 17 days past her 18th birthday when she won the 2005 Sybase Classic to become the youngest winner of a typical multi-round event until Thompson's triumph.