Insanity Files: LPGA Playoff Finally Ends After Seventh Playing Of 18th Hole

We’ve been through this before. The LPGA’s insistence on exclusively conducting sudden-death playoffs at the 18th hole can be tedious. Other tours are increasingly doing the same.

But I believe we have a new insanity record to ponder after the Diamond Resorts Invitational finished Monday morning following seven turns at the 197-yard 18th. (Eight total including the final round.)

Gaby Lopez and Nasa Hataoka returned Monday to finish the event, playing it two more times after darkness had forced a pause overnight. Inbee Park only had to play the hole three times Sunday before her elimination. Jeff Babineau has the full story for the Associated Press.

At least in finally winning, Lopez served up this gem in her post-victory interview, highlighted how silly it was to repeatedly play the hole, down to using a launch monitor to dial in the number.

 “I do have a feeling for this hole. I like it. It was a perfect number for me to be honest. Yesterday I was hitting 4-hybrid, 3-hybrid, 4-hybrid. The wind was down, the wind was into, it got cold and it was hard for me to figure out the number. This morning with my coach and caddie we kind of figured out the number with Trackman and it was the perfect number for me.”