The Korea Herald

피터빈트

S. Korean Jang Ha-na claims 4th LPGA win in Australia

By Shin Ji-hye

Published : Feb. 19, 2017 - 20:46

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South Korean Jang Ha-na rallied to pick up her fourth career LPGA Tour victory in Australia on Sunday.

Jang fired a four-under 69 in the final round, with three birdies and an eagle on the back nine alone, to capture the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open in Adelaide.

Jang finished at 10-under 282 for the tournament, beating Nanna Madsen of Denmark by three strokes for her first win in 2017.

Jang began the final round tied for seventh place at six-under, four strokes behind the leader Lizette Salas.

Jang actually dropped a stroke on the front nine, with a bogey on the first hole and then eight straight pars.

She had three more pars to start the back nine but then came a blistering stretch that clinched the title.

Jang birdied the 13th and 14th, and then eagled the par-five 17th with a lengthy putt to move to nine-under. She birdied the closing hole to take the club house lead at 10-under and watched as no one else came close to double digits under par.

Jang admitted to battling nerves early in the round before settling down later.

"I wanted to make birdie at every hole," Jang told LPGA.com.

"Then I just talked to my caddie and it was like, 'Okay, I'll try to be patient every hole.' I love the golf course. The weather is so good because it's not really hot, and I like dry conditions."

Salas stumbled to a five-over 78 on Sunday, with seven bogeys against two birdies.

This was the second LPGA event of 2017. Jang also won the second tournament of the 2016 season in Florida, as part of her three-win season. (Yonhap)