When the final putt of the 2025 LPGA Legends Championship dropped, Cristie Kerr’s smile couldn’t have been bigger. She had finally completed her redemption story, after finishing the 2024 edition of the event in second, three shots behind Angela Stanford.
The title is her first-ever victory on the Legends of the LPGA, and first since 2017 when she won twice on the LPGA Tour, at the LOTTE Championship presented by HERSHEY and Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia. The eight years that have passed, her husband’s 60th birthday and her youngest son being there to witness his mom become a champion, made her celebratory moment that much sweeter.
“It’s been a long time since I won a tournament, and it’s never easy to win on any tour. To have my friends and family here, and to be able to get my first win in front of my youngest son, Griffin… I’ll take it to the grave,” said Kerr. “It is just so special. My other friends and family that spent the entire week of their time with us to come out and support, it was really worth it. It was amazing.”
Kerr was the second-round leader of the tournament, holding a two-shot advantage heading into Championship Saturday. Despite being chased by Moira Dunn-Bohls and Maria McBride, who put up rounds of 4-under and 5-under, respectively, the Scottsdale, Ariz. native’s 2-under 70 was ultimately enough to secure the win.
The 47-year-old is no stranger to being in contention, especially at Copper Rock Golf Course, and with the win on the horizon, she had to remember how to manage her adrenaline coming down the stretch.
Spending less time immersed in the competition on the LPGA Tour, Kerr knew it would be important to get competitive reps heading into two major tournaments – this event and the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June. She’s played on both the LPGA and Epson Tours as of late, proving she still has what it takes to compete at the highest level.
“I don’t play full-time on Tour anymore, and I said if I wanted to have a chance here and also at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, that I needed to get more reps and made myself do it,” said Kerr. “Got a top 10 at the Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic in Scottsdale, where I live, with my husband on the bag, so it’s been a pretty good couple of weeks.”
Close behind, in second and third, were Moira Dunn-Bohls and Maria McBride, both of whom carded fantastic final rounds, putting up a great effort to catch Kerr. Despite falling short this week in Hurricane, Utah, Dunn-Bohls and McBride both will be taking plenty of confidence from this week into the rest of the Legends of the LPGA season.
Trish Johnson had the best finish of the past champions in the field, sitting in a tie for fourth after a 2-under Saturday. Angela Stanford finished in a tie for 11th at 2-over, while Dame Laura Davies was in 28th at 10-over.
By Ally Lutter, Marketing Manager for the Epson Tour