Knight Rallies to Claim Women's PGA Stroke Play Championship; Minnesotan Moxness Tallies Second Straight Senior Title

  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Professional Allie Knight entered the final round of the 2026 PGA Women’s Stroke Play Championship with a comfortable four-stroke lead, especially considering she fired rounds of 72 and 70, respectively, over the first two days of competition.

But carding seven bogeys over the first 14 holes of her final round Tuesday was certainly a cause for concern for the 32-year-old Knoxville, Tenn., native.
Fortunately, Knight dropped her birdie chance from 20 feet at the 15th before finishing with consecutive pars to claim a two-stroke victory over Ohio’s Allie White and Florida’s Stephanie Connelly Eiswerth.

“I’m excited to get a win out here. It’s a great feeling,” Knight said following her victory Tuesday. “Definitely wasn't the best day today. It was just tough conditions, all three days with the wind, so they just played so hard. But you know, to get a win. That's awesome, that's huge.”

Knight, Connelly Eiswerth and White have already earned their respective spots in the field at the 2026 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June at Hazeltine National Golf Club.

Pennsylvanian Joanna Coe edged Ashley Grier in a two-hole playoff Tuesday to claim her spot in the KPMG Championship.

Minnesotan Alayna Eldred fired a 3-over 75 during her second round Monday but fell two spots on the final day by posting an 85 to finish 28th at 31-over 246.

In the Senior Division, a pair of Minnesotans battled down the stretch during the final round Tuesday, as Barbara Moxness emerged from a one-hole playoff with Lisa Grimes and Christy Longfield to successfully defend her title at the championship.

“That was the highlight of the day,” Moxness said. “It kept me in the playoff. With my age – I’m 72 – I’m grateful I still get to play this game.”

Moxness opened the championship with a 74 during her opening round before firing an even par 72 during Monday’s second round.

With a string of three bogeys and one double over a five-hole span, Moxness dropped to 8-over for the championship, but a birdie at the par-3 17th would put her in the clubhouse with a share of the lead at 7-over 222.

Rolling in an 8-footer to save par on the first playoff hole would give Moxness her second straight title.

Moxness (Kuhlmann) won the Minnesota State Junior Girls’ Championship in 1970 before attending both Arizona State and San Diego State Universities to play golf.
Turning professional in 1978, Moxness played 10 seasons on the LPGA Tour, posting her best season in 1982 where she notched eight top-10 finishes.

Grimes, a native of Alexandria, Minn., entered Tuesday’s final round with a four-stroke victory, but was handed a two-stroke penalty for being late to the first tee.

“I thought my tee time was 8:50, but it was 8:40,” said Grimes, who claimed three straight wins at the championship. “It was on me. I’ve only done that one other time in my career. Five three-putts didn’t help, either.”

Grimes began with a 1-over 73 Sunday before carding one of just three rounds under par during the championship—a 2-under 69 to lead by four with 18 holes to play.

During her final round Tuesday, Grimes began her back nine with a double-bogey at the 10th before three straight bogeys beginning at the 12th.

Getting a stroke back with a birdie at the 16th, Grimes remained in a share of the lead with Longfield, but the two would make bogey at the par-4 18th to fall into a three-way share of first at 222.

Grimes (Kluver) won the girls’ individual state title in 1978 and has four wins at the Minnesota Women’s State Open. She was elected to the Minnesota Golf Hall of Fame in 2016.