Pernilla Lindberg, Inbee Park Playoff at ANA Inspiration Suspended for Darkness

Four days wasn't enough to find a winner at the 2018 ANA Inspiration.

Pernilla Lindberg and Inbee Park remained even through four sudden-death playoff holes Sunday, but play was suspended because of darkness before a champion could be crowned.

Lindberg entered the day with a three-stroke lead, but Park and Jennifer Song posted 67s to get to minus-15 for the tournament in Rancho Mirage, California. Song lasted until third playoff hole, but the other two stayed even with matching scores on all four holes.

They will now return Monday morning at 11 a.m. ET (8 a.m. local) in an attempt to finally determine a champion at the first major of the season.

Leaderboard

T1. Pernilla Lindberg (-15)

T1. Inbee Park (-15)

3. Jennifer Song (-15)

T4. Ariya Jutanugarn (-14)

T4. Jessica Korda (-14)

T6. Charley Hull (-13)

T6. Moriya Jutanugarn (-13)

8. Ayako Uehara (-12)

T9. Caroline Masson (-11)

T9. Sung Hyun Park (-11)

T9. Jodi Ewart Shadoff (-11)

T9. Amy Olson (-11)

Full results available at LPGA.com.

This tournament appeared to be Lindberg's to lose, as she jumped out to an early lead with a seven-under 65 on Day 1 before keeping it up with two more rounds under par. However, bogeys on two of the first three holes Sunday opened things up for the rest of the field to catch up.

Song and Park took advantage, each posting a 67 to move up from a crowded group into a tie for first place, creating the first-ever three-way playoff at this championship.

The first two playoff holes saw nothing but pars, but Lindberg and Park stepped up in the third round with birdies after impressive approach shots, as Golf Central showed.

Although they could have stopped because of darkness after three holes, they kept going for the longest playoff in ANA Inspiration history, per Justin Ray of Golf Channel. This angle, via Golf Channel, showed how difficult it was for either player to see:

After both players settled for pars on the fourth playoff hole, officials decided to extend the tournament to Monday.

It was an exciting battle even before the extra session, with several golfers remaining in the hunt all day long. Ariya Jutanugarn had the best final round of anyone, posting a 65 behind six birdies and an eagle. She was seven strokes back to enter the final round but shot up the leaderboard and entered the clubhouse with a share of the lead at 14 under.

Jessica Korda lacked this consistency, but she had some of the best shots of the day while holing out from anywhere, as the LPGA highlighted:

Korda was under par on nine holes and over par on three, giving her 66 for the day to match Jutanugarn. However, their scores didn't hold up as Song, Park and Lindberg each birdied No. 18 to enter the clubhouse at minus-15.

The fans hoped a few holes would settle it, but Park and Lindberg were too consistent for one to earn a championship.

After playing five straight times on the 18th hole, the two remaining contenders will start with No. 10 bright and early Monday morning as each player tries to bring home the first major championship of the season.