Kim birdies last to seal China win
Print Edition
SOUTH Korea’s Kim Sei-young drained an eight-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole to emerge victorious from a four-woman shootout down the stretch and claim the Blue Bay LPGA tournament on China’s Hainan Island by a single stroke yesterday.
The 22-year-old rookie shot a final-round 2-under-par 70 around the testing Jian Lake Blue Bay Course in wet and windy conditions to finish on 2-under for the tournament, ahead of Americans Stacy Lewis and Kim Kaufman, and Chinese Taipei’s Candie Kung.
“As soon as I saw this course, I realized it was my type of layout and really wanted to win, so I am very happy right now,” Kim said.
Lewis had earlier looked on course to claim her first victory of the season after five previous second-place finishes when the world No. 3 led by two shots after 12 holes but a bogey on the 13th allowed her rivals to haul her back in.
Kim birdied the same hole and the next to leapfrog the American as Kaufman picked up four shots in seven holes to move to 1-under for the tournament and joint overnight leader Kung also birdied the 14th to form a trio of chasers a shot back from the Korean.
Kaufman parred the last three holes to sit in the clubhouse on 1-under and when Kim duffed her tee shot on the par-3 17th, her chances of recording a third victory of the season appeared all but over.
Kung and Lewis hit superb tee shots to within five feet of the penultimate hole and when Kim three-putted from 45 meters to drop back into a tie for first, her playing partners both failed to sink the short putts that would have given them the lead.
Four players were now tied for the lead as the final group headed to the par-5 18th and when Kung and Lewis missed their birdie attempts, Kim, who will move into the top 10 after a stellar first season, took full advantage and sank to her knees as the winning putt dropped into the center of the cup.
The leading quartet were the only players to finish under par for the tournament as Sandra Gal, Lin Xiyu and Alena Sharp tied for fifth on 3-over, a stroke ahead of world No. 1 Lydia Ko, who went 4-under over the weekend after a terrible start.
In Kuala Lumpur, Justin Thomas won the CIMB Classic yesterday for his first PGA Tour title, holing a 6-foot par putt on the final hole for a one-stroke victory over Adam Scott.
The 22-year-old closed with a 6-under 66 for a tournament-record 26-under 262 total.
The American had a double bogey on the 14th after hitting into the water, then rallied with three consecutive birdies to take the outright lead.
Scott had an eagle and seven birdies in his closing 63. Kevin Na (67) and Brendan Steele (68) tied for third at 24-under.
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