Choi holds on for World Championship win

Eurosport - Mon, 21 Sep 08:13:00 2009

Choi Na-yeon of South Korea surrendered a seven-shot lead but steadied to post a one-under 71 that gave her a one-shot victory in the LPGA Samsung World Championship.

Choi Na-yeon of South Korea celebrates as she kisses the championship trophy after winning the LPGA Samsung World Championship at Torrey Pines REUTERS - 0

Choi claimed her first LPGA Tour title with a 16-under total of 272, but it came down to the very last hole.

"I can't believe that I won," said Choi, a four-time winner on the Korean tour. "Throughout the second half I thought I was going to lose it again."

Japan's Ai Miyazato carded a 69, lowest round of the day, to finish second on 273. South Korea's Jiyai Shin was third on 277.

Choi started the round with a two-shot lead. Two birdies in her first four holes were followed by an eagle at six - where she sank a 10-footer - as she stretched her lead to seven strokes.

But she hit a quagmire with three bogeys in a row from the ninth, and she lost the lead at the 14th with a three-putt bogey.

Meanwhile, Miyazato was gaining with a steady round that included back to back birdies at seven and eight.

"I played really good," said Miyazato, who had taken a share of the lead with a four-foot birdie putt at 16. "I was very patient."

Choi, who has been working with a sports psychologist, said she drew on what she'd learned after losing the lead with her bogey at 14.

"Mentally I felt I was very weak," Choi said. "I kept telling myself to be positive. I wanted to be positive about everything."

Miyazato came to the 18th with the lead, but found the water with her second shot.

After taking a drop, Miyazato landed her fourth within 20 feet but couldn't make it to save par.

"I knew how I stood situation-wise," said Miyazato, who then had to wait and see what Choi came up with at the last. "I knew it was a challenging shot but I made my decision to go for it and I did."

Choi, now sharing the lead, left an eagle attempt at the final hole five feet short, but made the pressure putt for birdie and the victory.

"I felt like I had just turned professional today," Choi said of her nerves as she faced her putt to win. "I was so nervous.

"It was easy, now I look back at it," Choi said. "But it was really difficult when I was doing it."

AFP

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  1. Na Yeon Choi of South Korea lost her seven-stroke lead,­ then rallied to shoot 1-under 71 Sunday to win the­ Samsung World Championship, her first LPGA Tour­ victory.
    Choi finished at 16-under 272 and held off­ runner-up Ai Miyazato of Japan, who shot a 69, the low­ round of the day at Torrey Pines.
    Choi began the final­ round with a two-stroke lead, got birdies on two of her­ first four holes and made a 10-foot eagle putt on the­ sixth hole to extend her lead to seven strokes.

    From Frank, on Mon 21 Sep 9:00AM

  2. Choi has never won on the LPGA Tour, but has eight­ top-10 finishes this year, including a tie for ninth at­ the U.S. Women’s Open.
    After yielding 14 rounds in the­ 60s the first two days, the course was toughened up­ with faster greens and tighter pin placements on­ Saturday. Only Ai Miyazato of Japan (68), Shin and Choi­ shot in 60s. Shin and Miyazato, who played together,­ were amazed by Choi’s score.
    “That’s a really solid­ round,” Miyazato said. “Nine under, that feels like­ 12-under on a normal golf course. This is not a very­ easy golf course.”
    Miyazato was three strokes back in­ third after her third straight 68.
    No. 1-ranked Lorena­ Ochoa of Mexico shot a 72 and was tied for fourth place­ with Paula Creamer, seven strokes back.
    After making­ the turn at 30, Choi had birdies on Nos. 11-12 to get­ to 8 under and have a chance at a 59, the LPGA Tour­ record Sorenstam set in 2001 at the Standard Register­ PING.
    “I didn’t think about that,” Choi said. “Actually­ I didn’t know that after 12th hole I had made a birdie­ putt. I just try and reach the hole.”
    She stalled after­ that, making two pars and a bogey on the 419-yard,­ par-4 15th. Her approach was about 45 feet from the­ hole and she left her first putt 9 feet short then­ failed to convert the par attempt.
    Choi rebounded with­ birdies on two of her final three holes.

    From Frank, on Sun 20 Sep 11:47PM

  3. "I was a little bit ashamed," said Miyazato.­ "But it's not Sunday. I still have two days,­ so I think I will be all right."
    You'll be­ fine.

    From Frank, on Sun 20 Sep 1:43PM
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