2 Koreans lose in LPGA playoff
Kim Sei-young of Korea tees off on the 13th hole during the final round of the JM Eagle LA Championship at El Caballero Country Club in Los Angeles, California, Sunday (local time). AFP-Yonhap
Two Korean players have lost in a playoff at an LPGA event in Los Angeles.
Kim Sei-young and Im Jin-hee tied for second place at the JM Eagle LA Championship at El Caballero Country Club in Los Angeles on Sunday (local time) as Hannah Green of Australia beat them with a birdie on the first playoff hole.
The three players finished regulation all knotted at 17-under 271, and each took different paths to get there.
Kim, 33, held a two-stroke lead over Green and three other players through 54 holes, in pursuit of her 14th career LPGA title. But Kim fell into the playoff after an up-and-down round of two-under 70 on Sunday, which included a chip-in eagle at the par-5 11th but also a bogey on the par-3 17th.
Im, 27, was going for her second career title after winning a team event, the Dow Championship, with Lee So-mi last June. She started the final round three behind Kim, and a double bogey on the 10th appeared to sink her chance. Im rallied by draining a long eagle putt at the 16th and shot a five-under 67 in the final round. She watched Kim and Green both par the 18th to set up the playoff.
Im Jin-hee of Korea celebrates after making an eagle on the 16th hole during the final round of the JM Eagle LA Championship at El Caballero Country Club in Los Angeles, California, Sunday (local time). AFP-Yonhap
The three went back to the par-4 18th to begin the sudden-death affair, and Im quickly played her way out of contention by pushing her tee shot well to the right. She missed the green with her approach and did well to save par.
Kim also ended with a par after missing her birdie attempt from right of the hole.
Green, who was closest to the cup after her second shot, drained her birdie attempt for her eighth career title and her third victory at the LA Championship.
Green sat six shots out of the lead at one point in the final round, but she collected five birdies on the back nine before the title-clinching birdie in the playoff.
Kim had an eight-stroke lead with five holes to play Saturday, seemingly on her way to a stress-free final round. But then she frittered away all but two shots of that advantage by bogeying four of her final five holes.
Kim stumbled down the stretch again in the final round and couldn't bounce back in the playoff.
"Just a little disappointed because I had a good chance for the win," Kim said. "But (Green) played well. Strong finish back nine. She deserves that."
The first of five LPGA major tournaments, the Chevron Championship, starts Thursday in Houston, Texas. Asked how she will regroup and get ready for the big event, Kim said, "I don't know. I don't think (of) anything right now. Sorry."