Kim Hyo-joo celebrates her third China Open victory.
Qingyuan City, China:
Kim Hyo-joo captured her third Hyundai China Ladies Open title.
The 21-year-old closed with a five-under-par at Guangdong Province’s Lion Lake Country Club in the season-ending event of the China LPGA Tour.
The Korean claimed her 15th professional title with a total score of six-under 210 in the a US$550,000 co-sanctioned tournament with the LPGA Tour of Korea.
World number seven
Jang Ha-na, the 2013 winner, shot a 68 to finish equal second with her Korean compatriot
Lim Eun-bin (68), while China number one
Feng Shanshan was three shots off the pace in fourth after a 69.
Playing under sunny and calm conditions, Kim, who won the championship in 2012 and 2014, carded a bogey-free round featuring five birdies to earn US$110,000. It is the 11th consecutive year that a Korean has won the tournament.
“I’m happy and lucky to be the first one to win three times here. A hat-trick is a great honour. I won five times in China (including two Kumho Tire Ladies Open titles). I feel more and more comfortable here, no barriers between me and the Chinese people. It’s just like home,” said the Wonju native.
Kim, who started the year with a victory at the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic in January, quickly found herself behind Jang as her fellow US LPGA Tour regular came out firing with five birdies on the opening nine.
With Jang holding a two-stroke lead after 12 holes, Kim birdied the 13th to get to within a stroke.
The par-three 14th proved the turning point as Jang had a double-bogey five when she took two shots out of a bunker for a two-stroke swing. Kim then made birdie at 15 to open up a two-stroke lead over Jang and Lim. She would pick up another birdie at the par-four 17th.
“I didn’t watch the leaderboard. I didn’t know that Jang made a double-bogey. She was in the group ahead of me and I knew she was playing very well. I just tried to follow her pace,” said Kim. “I think I can have a great year ahead.”
Jang, a three-time winner on the US LPGA Tour this season, lamented that one bad hole, the 14
th, had cost her the title.
“Coming into the final round my plan was minus-three or minus-four. I didn’t think it was a bad round. Of course, I want to win. I just had a real bad hole,” said the 24-year-old Seoul native.
Feng, the first-round leader, got her game going with three birdies over the final six holes to stay close.
“I put forth my best efforts, but it is not enough. I played great, except the middle part of the round,” said the Guangzhou native who had won three times in her previous four starts.
Choi Hye-jin was the top amateur as the 17-year-old Busan native closed with a 71 for a score of one-over 217 and an equal-seventh finish.
