Angela Stanford won her home LPGA Tour event in front of her parents, closing with a 4-under 67 for a two-stroke victory in the Volunteers of America Classic in The Colony.
"I just haven't had many chances to win in front of them. So to finally do it, it's so cool," Stanford said. "I couldn't even look over at my mom coming up 18 because I was starting to get teary-eyed. I'm like, 'Just don't look over there, don't look over there.' I would have lost it."
The 43-year-old former TCU star from Fort Worth won her seventh LPGA Tour title and first since the major Evian Championship in 2018. She finished at 7-under 277 at Old American Golf Club in the event that started in bone-chilling cold Thursday.
"It was windy, it was cold, and I think growing up in Texas you have to play in a little bit of cold in the offseason," Stanford said. "The course played really tough, but it just felt like Texas this week, so I was really comfortable out there."
Inbee Park, So Yeon Ryu and 19-year-old Yealimi Noh, tied for the third-round lead, each shot 70 to tie for second in the final tuneup before the U.S. Women's Open next week at Champions Golf Club in Houston.
Stanford pulled away with birdies on Nos. 13, 14, 16 and 17, and closed with a bogey.
"I really think it boils down to passion," Stanford said. "I just love trying to get better. I think if you love what you're doing and you love your process and you just are loving getting better, then you have to keep going."
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Ryu was making her first U.S. start since last year.
"I was quite nervous coming back, even though I played a few good events in Korea," Ryu said. "It was really great to be in contention."
Top-ranked Jin Young Ko was fifth at 4 under after a 70 in her second LPGA Tour start of the year.
"I'm looking for next week," Ko said. "I have confidence from this week for next week, so I'm really excited."
Anna Nordqvist (70) and Charley Hull (71) were 3 under.
