Monday, June 20, 2016
Associated Press
BELMONT, Mich.
Sei Young Kim won the Meijer LPGA Classic on Sunday for her second victory of the year, beating Carlota Ciganda with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff.
After bogeying the 18th in regulation to drop into the playoff, the 23-year-old Kim rebounded on the par-4 hole in the playoff.
“I just angry on myself,” Kim said. “I just, ‘Oh, I have to bounce back because today before I play, I setting my goal no bogey play.’ But last one I missed with bogey. If I bounce back, yeah, it is a good work, so I did it well today.”
On the extra hole, the South Korean player hit a 124-yard shot from the deep left rough – so deep that she lost her ball after looking away – that ran onto the green and settled at 31/2 feet.
“I realize really a lot of release, so I try to (hit) before the 10 meter to the front,” said Kim, projected to remain fifth in the world ranking. “It was good and I hit great hit. And my ball position was a little settled down, so I tried a cut shot. It was a, yeah, good work.”
She finished with a 3-under 68 at Blythefield to match Ciganda at 17-under 267.
Ciganda parred the final five holes in a bogey-free 67. She’s winless on the tour, with four runner-up finishes – two in playoffs.
She also drove into the left rough in the playoff, then hit a 156-yard shot through the green and couldn’t get up-and-down for par.
“It’s been a really good week,” Ciganda said. “I played very solid, especially my putting was really good, so I’m very happy with the week.”