Miyazato takes second straight crown
Source: Agencies |
March 1, 2010, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
AI Miyazato won the HSBC Women's Champions yesterday to become the first LPGA Tour player in 44 years to sweep the first two events of a season, closing with a three-under 69 for a two-stroke victory over Cristie Kerr.
Miyazato, the 24-year-old Japanese star who won the LPGA Thailand last week, took the lead with a birdie on the par-four 16th - a hole she played in five under for the week - and parred the final two holes to finish at 10 under on Tanah Merah's Garden Course in Singapore.
"This is obviously a great start for me," Miyazato said. "I try to stay in the present in what I do and that's really helping my game at the moment."
A 15-time winner on the Japanese tour, Miyazato earned US$195,000 for her third career LPGA Tour victory - all outside North America. She won the Evian Masters last year in France for her first LPGA Tour title.
Last player
Marilynn Smith was the last player to win the first two events in a season, accomplishing the feat in 1966. Babe Zaharias (1951), Louise Suggs (1952) and Mickey Wright (1963) also swept season-opening events.
Kerr of the US birdied No. 16 to take the lead at 10 under, but bogeyed the final two holes for a 68. South Korea's Shin Jiyai, the winner last year, closed with a 67 to tie for third at seven under with Norway's Suzann Pettersen (69), Korean Kim Song-hee (67) and Tseng Yani (69) of Chinese Taipei.
Juli Inkster, the 49-year-old American Hall of Famer who began the round tied with Miyazato for the lead, shot a 74 to tie for ninth at five under.
In Christchurch, Laura Davies of England won the New Zealand Women's Open for her 73rd title, shooting a four-under 69 yesterday for a two-hot victory over three players.
The 46-year-old Davies had a nine-under 279 total at the event sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour and Australian Ladies Professional Golf.
Swede Pernilla Lindberg (63), Norway's Marianne Skarpnord (68) and Sarah Kemp of Australia (71) tied for second.
Miyazato, the 24-year-old Japanese star who won the LPGA Thailand last week, took the lead with a birdie on the par-four 16th - a hole she played in five under for the week - and parred the final two holes to finish at 10 under on Tanah Merah's Garden Course in Singapore.
"This is obviously a great start for me," Miyazato said. "I try to stay in the present in what I do and that's really helping my game at the moment."
A 15-time winner on the Japanese tour, Miyazato earned US$195,000 for her third career LPGA Tour victory - all outside North America. She won the Evian Masters last year in France for her first LPGA Tour title.
Last player
Marilynn Smith was the last player to win the first two events in a season, accomplishing the feat in 1966. Babe Zaharias (1951), Louise Suggs (1952) and Mickey Wright (1963) also swept season-opening events.
Kerr of the US birdied No. 16 to take the lead at 10 under, but bogeyed the final two holes for a 68. South Korea's Shin Jiyai, the winner last year, closed with a 67 to tie for third at seven under with Norway's Suzann Pettersen (69), Korean Kim Song-hee (67) and Tseng Yani (69) of Chinese Taipei.
Juli Inkster, the 49-year-old American Hall of Famer who began the round tied with Miyazato for the lead, shot a 74 to tie for ninth at five under.
In Christchurch, Laura Davies of England won the New Zealand Women's Open for her 73rd title, shooting a four-under 69 yesterday for a two-hot victory over three players.
The 46-year-old Davies had a nine-under 279 total at the event sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour and Australian Ladies Professional Golf.
Swede Pernilla Lindberg (63), Norway's Marianne Skarpnord (68) and Sarah Kemp of Australia (71) tied for second.
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