Candie Kung (龔怡萍) overcame a miserable start to claim her second career title on Sunday, shooting a two-under-par 70 for a two-stroke victory at the LPGA Classic.
Kung began the day with a one-shot lead before bogeying four of the first seven holes to fall three strokes off the pace. But she played the last 11 holes in five-under to defeat South Korean Pak Se-ri and American Meg Mallon by two shots.
"There's still, what, 12 holes to go?" Kung remembered saying to herself after the terrible start. "Anything can happen on those 12 holes. I might birdie all the way in. Never know."
A 22-year-old from Taiwan in her second year on the LPGA Tour, Kung finished with a 72-hole total of 14-under 274. She collected US$180,000 to jump into the top 10 on the money list with more than US$620,000s.
Pak eagled the finishing hole but could not overcome bogeys at 15 and 17, settling for her second runner-up showing in three starts. Mallon couldn't get anything going in shooting her second consecutive 71.
Carin Koch of Sweden was fourth at 277, with Beth Daniel at 279.
Mallon nearly chipped in for eagle at the 18th hole, but she settled for a birdie tap-in and her second runner-up finish in the last month.
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