Lee wins ‘Kia Classic’ by tying tourney record at 20-under par
Ryu, Ernst tie for second
CARLSBAD, California, March 27, (AP): Mirim Lee took the lead into the final round of the Kia Classic two years ago and was overhauled by Cristie Kerr, who won with a tournament record of 20-under.
Lee had the 54-hole lead again this year, and she wasn’t about to let anyone catch her.
Lee, of South Korea, shot a 7-under 65 to win by six strokes Sunday and tie Kerr’s tournament record.
It was her third LPGA Tour victory and first since winning two titles in 2014, her rookie year.
She played a bogey-free round at Aviara, with birdies on each of the odd-numbered holes on the front nine to reach 18-under.
Lee twice just missed putts that would have put her at 21-under. She left an eagle putt short on 16 and then rolled a 40-foot birdie putt even with the hole on 18.
She was so far ahead, she wasn’t tempted to think about the lead she lost in 2015.
“I just thought I didn’t play very well at that time. Today, I tried not to think about it,” she said.
Lee was doused with water by fellow South Koreans Mi Jung Hur and In Gee Chun.
“Only the winner can enjoy the moment so it was very special,” said Lee, who came into the final hole with a one-shot lead over Hur.
If Lee wins the season’s first major next weekend, the ANA Inspiration at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, she can get another wet celebration — by jumping into Poppie’s Pond.
Ryu (66) and Austin Ernst (67) of Greenville, South Carolina, tied for second at 14-under.
Kerr (70) was in a group of five at 12-under.
Lee “was at 20-under. I knew at that point you’re basically playing for second place unless she does something coming down the stretch,” Ernst said. “I think Mirim had a good lead all day. She played really good golf. Your entire game needs to be solid here.”
Said Ryu: “It’s really great to see Korean players keep playing well. Also, I always feel very proud to see many Korean companies sponsoring the LPGA tournament. We just have a kind of like responsibility to play well on the LPGA.
Hopefully a lot of fans are having a lot fun to watch her play. Yeah, if another Korean girl is going to win the tournament, hopefully next one is going to be me.” Mirim Lee, of South Korea, watches her tee shot on the 14th hole during the final round of the Kia Classic LPGA golf tournament on March 26, in
Carlsbad, California. (AP)
Dustin Johnson poses with his trophy after defeating Jon Rahm, of Spain, at the Dell Technologies Match Play golf tournament at Austin Country Club on March 26, in
Austin, Texas. (AP)
known as the Los Angeles Open and then the WGC-Mexico Championship.
Johnson’s five WGC titles puts him second behind Tiger Woods, who has 18.
Johnson said the key to victory had been avoiding mistakes.
“I didn’t give him any holes, except for 10 (where) I three-putted. It was tough out there. The greens got really fast, the wind was affecting all the putts. Jon played really well. I just didn’t really give him anything.”
In a final that matched two of the game’s longest hitters, Johnson looked set to cruise to victory thanks to his big early lead, but it got interesting near the end.
Rahm, 3-down with four holes left, came to life, winning the par-four 15th with a birdie before taking the par-five 16th with another birdie, sinking a 30-footer after an astonishing second shot from the rough that he somehow threaded through an oak tree.
Rahm then drove through the green at the par-four 18th, ending up over the back, from where, perhaps distracted by a loud sudden banging noise just as he started his swing, he misjudged his 80foot chip shot and could only par, allowing Johnson to escape with the win.
In the match for third place, Haas beat Tanihara 2&1, though the loser at least enjoyed a hole-in-one at the parthree seventh.
Meanwhile, American journeyman D.A. Points reaped the benefits of a recent switch to a cross-handed putting style, rolling in nine birdies on his way to a two-stroke victory at the Puerto Rico Open on Sunday.
Points made a blazing start to the final round with five successive birdies, and also birdied four of the last six holes, carding six-under-par 66 despite three mid-round bogeys on the Coco Beach course in Rio Grande.
He finished at 20-under 268, while South African Retief Goosen stormed home with a 64 to tie for second with Americans Bryson DeChambeau (67) and Bill Lunde (68) on 18-under.
Overnight leader Chris Stroud proved prescient in his prediction of a winning score of at least 20-under, but was not the man to post that number, carding 71 to finish four shots behind.
It is the third PGA Tour victory for 40-year-old Points, after Pebble Beach in 2011 and Houston in 2013.