(Reuters) – South Korean Kim Sei-young overcame a bogey at the 72nd hole to beat Carlota Ciganda on the first playoff hole at the Meijer LPGA Classic in Michigan on Sunday.
Kim nailed a 109-yard approach shot from the left rough to barely three feet for a near tap-in birdie on the first extra hole, while Ciganda failed to get up-and-down for par after the Spaniard’s second shot finished over the 18th green at the Blythefield Country Club in Grand Rapids. Kim, 23, clinched her fifth LPGA title, and her second victory this season, and improved her perfect playoff record to 3-0.
“I think I just focus more,” Kim told Golf Channel, explaining her playoff success.
Kim’s untimely bogey on the 72nd hole ended a streak of 40 consecutive holes without a dropped shot.
Her closing 68 tied Ciganda (67) at 17-under 267.
Kim began the final round one stroke behind 54-hole co-leaders Chun In-gee of South Korea and American Lexi Thompson. But neither Chun (71) nor Thompson (72) had a good day.
Chun finished third at 15-under, while Thompson was joint fourth with world number one Lydia Ko (68) at 14-under.
Kim’s tee shot on the 72nd hole landed under a large tree in the left rough and her approach shot stayed left in the greenside rough.
But in the playoff, her short iron approach was spot on.
“I didn’t check the scoreboard all day and then saw (Ciganda) waiting for me,” Kim said.
(Reporting by Tim Wharnsby in Toronto; Editing by Andrew Both)
Reuters
