Choi claims first LPGA win
Overnight leader Na Yeon Choi held on to capture her maiden LPGA title in the Samsung World Championship.
South Korea’s overnight leader, Na Yeon Choi, hung on in Sunday’s final round of the Samsung World Championship to win her maiden LPGA title.
And this in an elite field containing the bulk of the world’s best golfers today!
Choi needed to hole for a birdie on the last at the tough South Course at Torrey Pines to resist the challenge of Japan’s Ai Miyazato who had reeled her in as she squandered a seven-shot lead.
It was a close shave for Choi, but a closing one-under-par round of 71 eventually proved just enough, Choi finishing on 16-under for the championship after starting the last day with a two-stroke lead on the field.
Miyazato carded the final day’s lowest round – a 69 – but dropped a shot on the last to give the struggling Choi the chance to reclaim the advantage she had lost with three successive bogeys around the turn and another on the 14th.
Before she stumbled, Choi had started out confidently enough, posting three early birdies and an eagle on the sixth and in the end it was just enough to hold off the charging Miyazato.
ALL THE FINAL ROUND SCORES
(USA unless stated, par 72):
272 Na Yeon Choi (Kor) 71 67 63 71
273 Ai Miyazato (Jpn) 68 68 68 69
277 Jiyai Shin (Kor) 66 69 68 74
279 Paula Creamer 69 69 70 71, Lorena Ochoa (Mex) 67 69 72 71
282 Sophie Gustafson (Swe) 67 70 75 70
283 Cristie Kerr 72 66 73 72
286 Yani Tseng (Tai) 75 66 70 75, Song-Hee Kim (Kor) 66 72 78 70, Suzann Pettersen (Nor) 71 72 70 73
288 Anna Nordqvist (Swe) 71 74 72 71, Catriona Matthew (Sco) 74 68 73 73, Brittany Lincicome 70 70 73 75, Angela Stanford 72 74 71 71
290 Karrie Webb (Aus) 73 72 70 75, Juli Inkster 68 74 74 74, Kristy McPherson 73 72 70 75
291 Lindsey Wright (Aus) 73 72 74 72
294 In-Kyung Kim (Kor) 72 73 73 76
298 Eun Hee Ji (Kor) 78 73 72 75
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