Sei Young Kim wins Meijer Classic in playoff

BELMONT, MICH. — Sei Young Kim won the Meijer LPGA Classic for her second victory of the year, beating Carlota Ciganda with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff.

After bogeying the 18th in regulation to drop into the playoff, the 23year-old Kim rebounded on the par-4 hole in the playoff.

“I just angry on myself,” Kim said on Sunday. “I just, ‘Oh, I have to bounce back because today before I play, I setting my goal no bogey play.’ But last one I missed with bogey. If I bounce back, yeah, it is a good work, so I did it well today.”

On the extra hole, the South Korean player hit a 124-yard shot from the deep left rough — so deep that she momentarily lost her ball after looking away — that ran onto the green and settled at 3 ½ feet.

“I realize really a lot of release, so I try to (hit) before the 10 metre to the front,” said Kim, projected to remain fifth in the world ranking. “It was good and I hit great hit. And my ball position was a little settled down, so I tried a cut shot. It was a, yeah, good work.”

She finished with a 3-under 68 at Blythefield to match Ciganda at 17under 267.

Ciganda, from Spain, parred the final five holes in a bogey-free 67. She’s winless on the tour, with four runner-up finishes — two in playoffs.

“One can win, and if you can’t win, second is the best,” Ciganda said. “I’ll keep trying and just keep playing golf.”

Brooke Henderson, of Smiths Falls, had a 71 to tie for 21st at 6 under. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp was the top Canadian after shooting an even 71 on Sunday and finished in a tie for 13th at 9-under 275.