Shin, KJ Victorious on Asian Tours

By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter

Seo Hee-kyung won the KB Star Tour Grand Final, the final major event of the KLPGA Tour, on Sunday.

The 23-year-old golfer fired a three-under 69 in the final round for a 16-under 272 total to edge amateur and third round leader Chang Ha-na by one stroke. The victory added the third major title of the season to her tally.

The five-year pro has won four tournaments this year, received a 100 million won ($84,600) prize to move atop the KLPGA money rankings with a total of 586 million won. Yoo So-youn, who tied for fourth with an 11 under, is sitting second at 559 million won.

Seo, who had six wins last season, is tied with Yoo for most wins.

``I was really nervous,'' Seo said.

``Although Chang is an amateur, she displayed strong shots and played hard to the end.''

Seo, who entered the final round one shot back, got off to a strong start with three straight birdies and took a two-stroke lead over Chang after the 15th hole at the Sky 72 Golf Club in Incheon.

Seo failed to save par on the par-3 16, allowing the 17-year-old to tie her score, but Seo went back up at No. 17, rolling in a birdie, with Chang making par.

On the final par-5 72nd, her tee shot found the sand and she needed four strokes to get on the green.

Relieved that Chang's birdie putt ended up nine meters from the cup, Seo sank a four-meter putt for par to take the championship.

Oh An-na finished third, four shots off the lead followed by Kim Ha-neul at 277.

Shin Ji-yai played up to her nickname ``final round queen'' as she rallied to triumph in a three-way playoff at the Masters GC Ladies in Japan, Sunday.

Shin, 21, was tied with Akiko Fukushima and Yuko Mitsuka at an eight-under 208 total after shooting a four-under 68 in the third round, but beat them in an extra round.

The LPGA money leader, who had not yet to win in the past four tournaments of the JLPGA this season, earned 22.140 million yen for her third-career title on the Japanese Tour.

``Although I bogeyed No. 13 and failed to sink a three-meter birdie on the 16th hole, I got confident of winning the title after the birdie on the final hole,'' Shin said.

Her total prize of 33.419 million yen has earned her full exempt status for the 2010 season. The top 50 golfers in the money rankings can become a cardholder.

Shin opened the final round with five shots off the lead and made just one birdie at the turn, but the six-time LPGA Tour winner made three birdies on the back nine to force a playoff.

In the first hole of the playoff held on the par-4 18th hole, Shin saved par, while the two Japanese golfers suffered a bogey.

Compatriot Lee Ji-hee finished in a tie for fourth at six under.

In Malaysia, Choi Kyoung-ju topped the Iskandar Johor Open.

Choi, a seven-time PGA Tour champion, made eight birdies on the final day on his way to a 20-under 196 to receive a $158,000 winner's check.

Thailand's Chapchai Nirat finished second after carding a 16-under while defending champion Retief Goosen of South Africa and Himmat Rai of India tied for third at 15-under.

ksw@koreatimes.co.kr