Kerr claims Lotte title in Hawaii
KAPOLEI: American Cristie Kerr capitalised on a back nine stumble by Jang SuYeong to come-from-behind and capture the Lotte Championship on Saturday.
The 39-year-old overcame a three-shot deficit heading into the final round to fire a bogey-free 66 for her first US LPGA Tour win since 2015.
“It’s been an epic day,” said Kerr, who finished with a 72 hole total score of 20-under 268.
“It didn’t start out so hot, but I knew if I just hung in there and made a couple birdies I would get it going, and the back nine was magic for me this week.”
The same could not be said for unheralded Jang, who needed a sponsor’s invite to get into the tournament.
Jang, who held a three-shot lead at the end of the third round and led for much of Saturday, made double bogey on the parthree No.8 and had a bogey on the par-five 14th to drop to 17 under.
Kerr vaulted into the lead for good with three straight birdies on the back nine, beginning at No.13 to get to 20 under.
Also tied for second were Kiwi Lydia Ko, and South Korean Chun In-Gee.
Alena Sharp, a 35-year-old Canadian trying to win her first title on the US LPGA Tour, finished another stroke back in fifth after she bogeyed the final hole for a 70.
Jang entered the final round with a big lead, but closed with a par 72. Ko made a run in a bid for her first title since last July, closing with a 64, and Chun finished with a 67.
“Going into the day eight shots behind there is a huge difference between eight shots and five shots,” Ko said.
“I knew that it would take the round of my life versus a mediocre round by everybody else. With how the girls are playing, it’s just really hard to mend the gap.”
Third-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn and Stacy Lewis tied for seventh, six strokes behind Kerr. Ariya shot a final-round 69 and Lewis a 66.
Ariya’s fellow Thai Nontaya Srisawang fired her second straight 71 to finish in a tie for 23rd with six others.
LEADING FINAL ROUND SCORES
(Par-72, USA unless noted)
268 — Cristie Kerr 71-69-62-66
271 — Lydia Ko (NZL) 73-69-65-64, Chun In-Gee (KOR) 70-69-65-67, Jang Su-Yeon (KOR) 67-67-65-72
272 — Alena Sharp (CAN) 67-69-66-70, Ryu So-Yeon (KOR) 68-69-69-67
274 — Stacy Lewis 68-68-72-66, Ariya Jutanugarn (THA) 69-66-70-69
275 — Danielle Kang 69-71-69-66, Cydney Clanton 69-69-69-68