The Korea Herald

피터빈트

Park In-bee picks up first win of 2014 on Ladies European Tour

By 신용배

Published : March 9, 2014 - 18:14

    • Link copied

   The world's No. 1-ranked female golfer Park In-bee picked up her first win of 2014 at a Ladies European Tour (LET) tournament in China on Sunday.

   Park fired a 6-under 67 in the final round of the Mission Hills World Ladies Championship at the par-73 Mission Hills Hainan's Blackstone Course, beating world No. 2 Suzann Pettersen of Norway by five shots.

   Park shot a 24-under 268 over four rounds, making just five bogeys.

   Pettersen, breathing down Park's neck in the world rankings, began the day tied with Park at 18-under, but shot just 1-under 72 in the final round to finish well behind.

   Park fired a blistering, bogey-free round of 62 on Saturday to set up a duel with Petterseon. The South Korean wasted little time charging out in front on Sunday, picking up birdies on the first two holes while Pettersen managed only pars on both.

   Both players bogeyed the par-4 third hole, but then Park birdied the fifth and sixth holes, going out in 33.

   Wielding a hot putter, Park mixed in four birdies with a bogey on the back nine, while Pettersen had nine straight pars to finish her mediocre round.

   Park enjoyed a historic 2013 season on the U.S. LPGA Tour, winning three of the five major championships en route to capturing the Player of the Year honors and the money title. Park won six times overall last year, and has been the No. 1-ranked golfer since April 2013.

   South Koreans crowded the leaderboard on Sunday. Ryu So-yeon, world No. 5, finished in third place at 16-under. Korean LPGA Tour members Jang Ha-na and Chun In-gee each shot 13-under to tie for seventh. Chung Ye-na, the 2013 China LPGA money winner and the Rookie of the Year, had the sole possession of 10th place at 9-under. (Yonhap)