Han Hee-won had to work overtime to make sure she didn't settle for second place this time.
The runner-up a year ago, Han made a 25-foot birdie putt on the third hole of sudden death Sunday to beat Wendy Ward and win the Wendy's Championship for Children.
PHOTO: AP
The clutch putt came on the 17th hole, where a short time before, Han lost a two-stroke lead.
Han, who finished a shot behind Kim Mi-hyun a year ago, ended up at 17-under-par 199 to collect US$165,000 for her second win of the year and her career. She held off Meg Mallon last month to win the Big Apple Classic.
Han closed with a 66, falling into the playoff when she bogeyed the par-3 17th hole just moments after Ward had birdied it. Both players parred the closing hole, just missing lengthy birdie putts.
Ward, who shot a 63 Sunday, could have closed it out on the first playoff hole but missed a 7-foot birdie putt after Han overshot the green. Han chipped to 3 feet and made the par putt to stay alive.
On the second hole of sudden death, the 10th, both drove into the fairway. From 131 yards, Han hit a 9-iron to 3 feet. Hitting second, Ward's wedge from 118 yards flew the green and ended up on the back fringe.
But Ward, who won this tournament two years ago, used her putter to hole the downhill 35-foot shot from above the hole -- pumping her fist and flashing a broad smile as the ball glanced off the pin and into the hole.
Han then dropped in her short birdie putt.
On the third playoff hole, the 136-yard 17th tucked behind a large pond, both players hit onto the green. Han went first and sank her birdie putt.
Ward needed to make her own 30-footer to keep the playoff alive, but the ball fell just short on the left side of the cup.
The win didn't come easy for Han, a native of South Korea in her third year on the LPGA Tour.
She began the day tied for the lead at 11 under with Candie Kung, then sprinted to the front with birdies on the first two holes at Tartan Field Golf Club. She rolled in a 4-foot putt on the opening hole and then hit a 25-footer on the second.
After posting a 67 Saturday, Ward predicted she would need to shoot 8 or 9 under to have a chance of winning.
Well, she carded a 9 under -- and it wasn't quite enough.
She hit a wedge to 8 inches on the opening hole for a birdie, and then nearly holed her second shot at the par-5 fourth. But the ball rattled around the hole before resting on the lip after she hit a 7-wood from 219 yards. She followed that tap-in eagle with birdies at Nos. 5, 7, 8 and 9 to make the turn in 29.
Still, she only had gained a stroke on Han.
Han also eagled the fourth, chipping in from the second cut behind the green, then rolled in a 10-footer at No. 5. She chipped from right of the green to 4 feet at the ninth hole for another birdie and a 30 on the front side.
Both players birdied the par-5 11th. Each had a birdie, a bogey and three pars over the next five holes as Han maintained a two-shot edge.
At the 17th, Ward hit to 5 feet and dropped the birdie putt to cut the gap to a shot.
Playing in the group immediately behind Ward, Han had her only three-putt of the tournament for a bogey to drop into the tie.
Michele Redman was alone in third place at 15 under after a 67. The native of Zanesville, Ohio -- about 60 miles from the course -- was followed by a large group of family and friends.
Two-time US Open winner Juli Inkster closed with a 66 for 12 under, while Kung's 72 left her at 11 under.
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