LPGA victory in Incheon
Ko Jin-young wins KEB Hana Bank Championship
Ko Jin-young fired a four-under 68 to win the KEB Hana Bank Championship Sunday. Ko collected six birdies against two bogeys for a four-round total score of 19-under 201, three shots ahead of the runner-up Park Sung-hyun. Ko pocketed $300,000, securing her right to play on the LPGA Tour as an added prize.
Ko tussled with Park in an enthralling final-round duel. Ko faltered in the early round. She bogeyed the second and third holes, yielding the top position to Park.
However, she bounced back to birdie three holes to catch up to Park’s lead after finishing the eighth hole, where she collected a birdie. Making another birdie on the ninth, she stood on the tee at the 10th hole as a sole leader, one shot ahead of Park. Ko got back her calmness and confidence.
Incidentally, Ko hit a perfect approach shot two feet or so near the cup on the 11th hole. But she failed to make the short birdie putt. She committed a fatal blunder seemingly because of a blemish on the putting line that deprived her of her concentration.
On the par-3 12th, Ko hit her tee shot with pinpoint accuracy, stopping the ball near the cup. She added another birdie to become the sole leader. On the 14th hole, she hit her approach shot over the pin, leaving a way lengthy putt. Saving par there, she birdied the 15th to stay two shot ahead of Park who also birdied the hole.
On the 16th, Ko failed to hit the green in regulation, but saved par, leading Park by three shots. On the par-3 17th, Ko hit a perfect shot near the hole, giving her a good birdie chance. She ended the hole with a par.
Ko stood on the par-5 18th tee, with a three-shot lead. She pulled her tee shot into the left rough. After hitting her second trouble shot safely onto the fairway, Ko hit her third shot close to the hole, leaving her a good chance for a birdie. Ko made a two-putt for a par for a total score of 19-under 201.
World No. 2 Park, who won the U.S. Women’s Open for her first major, hit a four-under 68 with six birdies against two bogeys. Park posted her name in second place on the leader board.
Park enjoyed a flawless round on the front nine, collecting three birdies. Her first hiccup was on the sixth hole when she hit her tee shot into the bunker. After carrying out her marvelous third shot not far from the green, she calmly holed the putt to save par.
Park collected three birdies on the front nine without bogey. But she incurred a bogey on the 14th with a three-putt, leaving her two shots behind Ko’s lead at an 18-under at the moment.
She banged a fantastic tee shot onto the green on the short par-4 15th. She failed to eagle the hole, leaving her two shot behind Ko, with only three holes to play. On the 16th, Park three-putted again, leaving her with a slim chance to win.
After making par on the 17th, Park whacked a long tee shot on the 18th. She sent her second shot over the green into the rough. With a great flop shot near the hole, she ended the final hole with a birdie for a total score of 17-under 202.
Chun In-gee who had a bogey-free round of four-under 68 yesterday, started shaky with a bogey, leaving her fans crestfallen. But she immediately birdied the next hole to bounce back. She had three birdies on the front nine, offset by a lone bogey on the first hole.
Chun proceeded to the 10th hole with two two shots behind Park and Ko. Chun collected two birdies with one bogey, ending the day at a three-under 69. She posted a total score of 16-under 272 for third place.
Defending champion Carlota Ciganda and World No. 1 Ryu So-yeon hit an even par 72, having a total score of 10-under 278.