South Korea’s M.J. Hur birdied the second playoff hole on Sunday to defeat Suzann Pettersen and Michele Redman and win the LPGA Safeway Classic.
Redman was already out of the playoff when Hur and Norway’s Pettersen arrived at the par-four 17th at Pumpkin Ridge.
Hur landed short of the green in the left rough, while Pettersen nearly drove into a creek.
PHOTO: AP
Hur pitched to within seven feet and Pettersen launched her chip 20 feet past the flag. When the Norwegian missed her birdie attempt coming back, tour rookie Hur stepped up and made her putt for her first LPGA Tour title.
“I’m working very hard,” said Hur, who earned US$255,000. “Before this tournament, I went to Korea, but I practiced a lot. That’s why I had a good score this tournament.”
Hur, who had made the cut in six of her 13 prior starts this season, fired a seven-under 65 on Sunday. She finished on 13-under 203 and was matched by Pettersen and Redman, who closed with 67s at the 54-hole event.
All three found the fairway at the first playoff hole, 18. Redman’s second shot was 25 feet short, Hur missed the green and Pettersen fired to within 10 feet.
Hur chipped to five feet, while Redman’s putt didn’t break, and Pettersen’s putt to win trickled to a stop.
Hur made a tough five-footer, while Redman missed from within three feet to bow out of the playoff and Pettersen tapped in.
American Michelle Wie (66), Japan’s Ai Miyazato (70) and South Korea’s Lee Seon-hwa (70) shared fourth place on 11-under 205.
Taiwan’s Candie Kung finished in a group that included compatriot Amy Hung on five-under after a 69, tied for 20th place. World No. 2 Yani Tseng carded a 70 to finish in tied 34th place on three-under in group that included Taiwan’s Teresa Lu, who shot a 69.
Petterson appeared headed for the victory in regulation.
She birdied four in a row from the 10th to build a three-stroke lead over Hur, who made her charge playing five holes from the eighth in six-under — a run that included four birdies and an eagle at the 10th. Hur picked up another stroke at the par-three 14th in a bogey-free round.
Pettersen ran into trouble at the par-five 15th, where she fired her third shot over the green and came up short on her fourth. Her chip rolled six feet past and she missed coming back, surrendering the lead to Hur.
Hur landed a shot within three feet at 16, but couldn’t make the putt.
Then Pettersen and Redman both birdied the par-four 17th en route to forcing the playoff.
Pettersen remains in search of her first title since 2007, when she won five LPGA events. She had a runner-up finish at the Corona Championship this year.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STAFF WRITER
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