Taiwan’s Teresa Lu finished second at the Swinging Skirts at the Miramar Golf and Country Club in Linkou, New Taipei City, yesterday after losing to Choi Na-yeon of South Korea on the second hole of a playoff.
Choi holed the winning birdie putt on the par-five 18th to outshine Lu, who missed a birdie attempt just moments earlier.
The 25-year-old duo headed to the playoff after both finished the 54-hole event with three-under 213s.
Photo: Lin Cheng-kung, Taipei Times
“It was a pity, but it was a very good experience for me after all,” Lu told reporters after the playoff.
The local heroine had a stellar start on the first eight holes, with four birdies, before stumbling on the par-four ninth and carding a double-bogey. She later had another birdie on the last after a bogey on the 15th, finishing the round with a two-under 70.
“At the moment, I really want a hot bath and a rest,” she said, adding that the idea had started to linger in her head since the 10th hole on a cold day with falling temperatures.
Choi also expressed relief after the tournament, saying that the round was tough and that she lost focus on the first two strokes on the second hole of the playoff when she drove her tee shot right into the rough, followed by failed attempt to chip back onto the fairway.
“I’m tired,” Choi said at a press conference, adding that the tournament was her 29th and last this season.
FOCUS ON THE GOOD
In addition to overcoming fatigue, Choi said she kept telling herself to focus on the good putts and forget the bad ones. She had three birdies and four bogeys to card a one-over 73.
After the press conference, Choi signed autographs for her fans.
“I can’t wait for the 2013 season,” she said.
A total of 91 local and overseas golfers played in the tournament that carried a total purse of US$1.01 million.
Launched last year, the tournament has become an official leg of both the Taiwan Ladies Professional Golf Association and the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Tour.
Swinging Skirts is a private organization made up of both men and women amateur golfers. Its members wear skirts or kilts when they play, and all competitors, caddies and course referees are expected to do the same during the tournament.
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