Lee So-young cruised to two-stroke victory at 2019 LF Hazzys Point Final Championship

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

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Sun, December 3, 2023 | 16:51

Lee So-young cruised to two-stroke victory at 2019 LF Hazzys Point Final Championship

Posted : 2019-11-17 21:03

Updated : 2019-11-17 21:33

Lee So-young celebrates her victory with a trophy at the 2019 LF Hazzys Point Final Chamionship held in the JNJ Golf Resort in Jangheung, South Jeolla Province. /Yonhap

By Kim Jeong-kyoo

Lee So-young won the 2019 LF Hazzys Point Final Championship title, Sunday.

The 22-year-old beat out Park Chae-yoon and Cho Jeong-min by two strokes on the par-72 5,923-meter JNJ Golf Resort in Jangheung, South Jeolla Province.

Lee played consistent golf despite the cloudy and windy conditions, while Park and Cho did not have enough firepower to catch her, and Kim A-lim ― also briefly in contention ― wilted badly on the back nine.

She fired a three-under 69 for an overall 10-under 134 to hold off her rivals after having a six-under 66 including her one-stroke season point advantage, Saturday.

Lee rattled off four birdies and a lone bogey to beat the shortened 10-woman field ― among the 15 top-ranked players eligible for the LF Hazzys Point in the 2019 season, Choi Hye-jin and four others decided not to take part.

"This season left a lot to be desired with three runner-up finishes, but I'm deliriously happy to get back my confidence with this victory today," she said in the post-match interview. "I thank my fans and family for their support and care."

Players had different starting points depending on their performances in the 2019 season. A top player given the highest points had a three-stroke advantage while players given the lowest had none.

Lee received a single stroke season point advantage and hit a six-under 66 on Saturday for an overall seven-under to lead the field. Cho and Kim A-lim chased the leader by two strokes, while Park hit an even-par 72 for an overall 3-under thanks to the three-stroke season point advantage given to her.

Lee got off to a decent start Sunday with three pars on the first through third before rattling off her first birdie of the day on the par-5 fourth. She incurred her lone bogey on the par-4 sixth to drop down into a two-way tie for the lead with Kim A-lim at seven-under.

Lee made the turn at seven-under, a stroke shy of Kim but became part of the two-way lead with Kim when the latter bogeyed the 10th. Then, Lee converted a lengthy putt into a birdie on the par-4 11th to get back the sole lead.

Kim then stumbled with a double-bogey on the par-3 12th after bogeying the 10th, giving Lee a three stroke lead that she never gave up.

Lee also got a good break on the par-5 13th when her wayward third shot bounced back right toward the hole, helping her end with a par. Spurred by the luck, she went on to hit a magnificent approach within a foot for a tap-in birdie on the par-4 14th. She extended her single stroke lead to two over Park Chae-yoon on the 18th.

Getting through the last three holes without incident, she stood on the 18th tee at nine-under with a single stroke lead. Despite hitting her tee shot into the right rough in front of the bunker, she hit a perfect approach close the hole within a couple of inches. Capping the last hole with a tap-in birdie, she made a gentle fist with a genuine smile, reveling in her two-stroke victory.

Runner-up Park played the front nine in 32 before making the turn at seven-under, a single stroke shy of the leader. However, she had a bogey after a poor tee shot on the 10th. She trailed behind Lee by a single stroke when she birdied the 16th. Despite a birdie on the last hole, she finished the day a single stroke behind the leader, settling for a two-way tie for second with Cho.

Playing the front nine in 36, Cho made the turn at five-under, two strokes adrift from the co-leaders. She found her standing a single stroke shy of the leader when she rattled off back-to-back birdies on the 16th and 17th after a birdie on the 14th. With the last hole to play, she needed a birdie to force Lee into a playoff. But capping the final hole with a par, she ended up in joint second place with Park.

skim@koreatimes.co.kr