Japan’s Ai Miyazato claimed her second Evian Masters in three years on Sunday and pledged to donate some or all of her winner’s check to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated northern Japan in March.
After a bogey-free 67 in the third round, the 26-year-old followed up with a 70 to win by two shots on 15-under 273 from Stacy Lewis of the US and claim the 363,000 euros (US$521,522) prize money.
“I haven’t decided yet what to do exactly, whether it’ll be all the amount or a sum of it, but I’ll definitely be making a donation from this earning,” said Miyazato, who wears a button on her hat to publicize the foundation she created with her fellow Japanese tour players. “I’m wearing this button because I want to get as much help and support from not just Japan, but all over the world.”
Photo: AFP
“By wearing this button and playing, I have Japan in my thoughts and [it] gives me motivation to play as well. The disaster did affect me badly and the people back home are never far from my thoughts,” said Miyazato, who went to school in Sendai, which was badly hit by the earthquake.
The 26-year-old joins Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam and England’s Laura Davies as two-time winners of the Evian Masters — Sweden’s Helen Alfredsson is the only player to have won the title three times.
“This was already a very special place for me,” Miyazato said. “It was my first LPGA win in 2009 and now I have even more great memories. Today, I stayed patient and it worked. I felt comfortable all day.”
It was Miyazato’s seventh win on the LPGA Tour, but the first since the Safeway Classic in August last year.
Two ahead at the start of the final round, Miyazato produced some pinpoint accuracy with her approach shots and she birdied the third, sixth and eighth to move four clear of the field, but with Lewis and then playing partner, Hong Rang, hitting the birdie trail, she saw the lead evaporate.
At the 12th, the lead was reduced to one when South Korea’s Hong made a long putt for birdie and Miyazato, after her second shot hit a slope and unluckily shot through the green, dropped her first stroke of the round.
However, Miyazato hit back and there was a two-shot swing in her favor at the 13th. The tiny Japanese player made a 15 foot putt for birdie, while Hong missed the green and made bogey.
Miyazato shed another shot at the short 14th, but Hong, with four bogeys in a row from the 13th, and Lewis, who let one slip at the 16th, failed to mount a threat over the final holes.
Lewis, with a 70, finished in outright second place on 13-under with fellow American Angela Stanford (71). Japan’s Miki Saiki (71) and South Korea’s Kim In-kyung (70) tied for third on 12-under. Hong was another shot back after a 72.
Norway’s Suzann Pettersen, wearing a black arm band in recognition of the massacre in her home country on Friday, was the best of the Europeans, closing with a 68 to tie with Hong on 11-under for a share of sixth place.
Defending champion Shin Ji-yai of South Korea closed with a 73 for seven-under, while Taiwan’s Yani Tseng, the world No. 1, closed with a 69 for a share of 12th place on nine-under. Candie Kung shot a 69 to finish on two-under, tied for 36th place.
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