Annie wins first LPGA Tour title in ShopRite Classic tourney

GALLOWAY: Annie Park (pic) won the ShopRite LPGA Classic for her first LPGA Tour victory, closing with an eight-under 63 for a one-stroke victory over Sakura Yokomine.

The 23-year-old Annie, from Levittown, New York, had an eagle and six birdies on a cloudy day over the Bay Course at Stockton Seaview to complete 54 holes at 16-under 197 on Sunday, a stroke off the tournament record.

“I can’t describe in words how I feel,” Annie said.

“It’s my first win out on Tour. I mean, every win is very special, but just having my family out here, my friends supporting me, it’s just – all the fans, my friends back home, I would like to thank all of them. Without them and having that support, I probably wouldn’t have been here today.”

Annie began the year with conditional status on the LPGA Tour, but her season came around in April at the LPGA Mediheal Championship in San Francisco. She qualified on Monday, tied for 18th and won more than US$17,000 (RM68,000) to improve her status on the priority list.

“It’s been a crazy first half of the year,” she said.

“Came into the year with having partial status and juggling between the Symetra Tour and the LPGA Tour.

“I think that Mediheal tournament really got it going, Mondayed in, had a great first two rounds, got reshuffled into the mix. And having this first win, it’s been crazy.” Annie used a long putter. “I switched to it this January, and it’s actually helped me out a lot,” Annie said.

“I’ve always struggled with putting. I like it, but it’s also kind of hard because it’s longer and heavier. It took a while for me to get used to the putter, but I really like it.”

Yokomine, the winner of 23 events on the Japan LPGA Tour, flirted with a 59 but parred the parfive 18th for a 61 to tie the course record.

New Jersey native Marina Alex was third at 14-under after a 64. She made a hole-in-one at the par-three 17th.

“It was just kind of surreal,” Alex said.

“I finally hit a nice wedge. I hit some wedges earlier in the day and I didn’t feel like they were super solid. That one was pure.”