S. Korean LPGA rookie claims maiden victory

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korean golfer Lee Mi-rim claimed her maiden LPGA Tour victory in a playoff at the inaugural Meijer LPGA Classic on Sunday in Michigan. Lee, a rookie on the tour, beat fellow South Korean Park In-bee on the second playoff hole with a birdie at the par-71 Blythefield Country Club in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In her previous 13 starts in 2014, Lee had recorded just one top-10 finish and had missed the cut four times. The unheralded 23-year-old has three Korean LPGA victories to her credit. Lee Mi-rim of South Korea celebrates after sinking the clinching birdie putt on the second playoff hole at the Meijer LPGA Classic in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Aug. 10, 2014. (AP=Yonhap) Lee Mi-rim of South Korea celebrates after sinking the clinching birdie putt on the second playoff hole at the Meijer LPGA Classic in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Aug. 10, 2014. (AP=Yonhap) Lee and Park ended regulation tied at 14-under 270. Park began the day leading Lee by one stroke at 13-under, but shot a 1-under 70 in the final round with two birdies and a bogey. Lee picked up four birdies against two bogeys for a round of 2-under 69. She pulled even with Park at 14-under with a birdie on the par-4 15th and closed out the regulation with three straight pars to force the playoff. The two went back to the par-4 18th for the first playoff hole and both had pars. Back on the short par-4 17th, Lee reached the greenside bunker off the tee and put her second shot to within four feet of the pin. Park, No. 3 in the world, left the second shot well back of the hole, and her birdie attempt grazed the right side of the cup and missed. Lee then stepped up to drain the clinching putt for the victory. Over four rounds, Lee averaged 280.38 yards off the tee, more than 20 yards longer than Park. Lee, who earned her LPGA playing privileges at last year's qualifying school, took home the first-place check of US$225,000. She is projected to jump from 71st to 29th in the world rankings. Lee later said she tried to shake off the nerves of her first LPGA playoff, especially after Park nearly holed her second shot on the first playoff hole. "I was really nervous, and I saw Park's shot and it made me more nervous," Lee said. "But I focused on my shot and it was very fun." She said she hit her driver off the tee on the second playoff hole, knowing her strength would put her in a good position. "I tried to hit the green but missed, but it was okay," Lee said. "I had an easy lie in the bunker. I tried to give it a good spin and hit a good bunker shot." Lee joins Park, who won the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic in June, as the only two South Koreans with an LPGA win this year. Michelle Wie, born in Hawaii to South Korean parents, and Lydia Ko, a South Korean-born Kiwi, each have two victories in 2014. Park came up shy of winning her first tournament with a new putter, but she appears to be in form heading into her title defense at the Wegmans LPGA Championship, the fourth major of the year, starting Thursday in Pittsford, New York. Park gave full credit to Lee for taking advantage of her length off the tee. "She was quite long off the tee and she kind of had an advantage on the 17th hole, being able to almost go at the pin," Park said. "As a rookie, she's very consistent, and I think she's a very good player." Suzann Pettersen, who briefly shared the lead with the two South Koreans, committed a bogey on the par-4 16th and ended up in sole possession of third place at 13-under. Amy Yang was the third Korean in the top-10. She tied two others for fifth at 9-under. jeeho@yna.co.kr (END)