Michelle Wie holed an 11m putt from off the green on the final hole yesterday to win the Women’s World Championship by one stroke and capture her first LPGA tournament since the 2014 US Women’s Open.
With four players in contention to win on the last hole, Wie managed to separate herself from the pack when she drained her lengthy birdie putt on the 72nd hole at the Sentosa Golf Club for a final round of seven-under 65 to finish at 17-under 271.
The 28-year-old Wie, who a year ago led the tournament after three rounds before fading on the last day, leaped into the air and clenched her fist in celebration as the ball disappeared into the bottom of the cup.
Photo: EPA
However, she still faced an anxious wait before being declared the winner.
“I wanted really badly to win, especially after what happened last year. I had some unfinished business here,” Wie said.
Third-round leader Nelly Korda hit a superb approach into the 18th to set up a birdie opportunity that would have forced a playoff, but missed her 2.4m putt.
“I had a bunch of putts that were really close and a lot of them lipped and burned edges. It definitely hurts, but that’s golf,” Korda said.
Danielle Kang, last year’s winner, also missed a long birdie putt on the last hole to miss out on a playoff as she closed with a 70. Korda and Kang finished in a four-way tie for second at 16-under, alongside Jenny Shin (65) and Brooke Henderson (67).
Taiwan’s Candie Kung finished one-over 289 in a four-way tie for 50th place.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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