Date: March 11, 2013
Author: Australian Ladies Professional Golf

Arthur finishes as leading Australian in China

Bree Arthur finished as the leading Australian, while Rolex World No. 8 Suzann Pettersen captured her sixth Ladies European Tour when she came from behind to win the Mission Hills World Ladies Championship, in southern China. Arthur posted four birdies and one bogey in her three-under-par 69 to finish the tournament at six-under-par and tied for 12th. It is Arthur s best result from 4 starts on the LET this year. Kristie Smith (70) and Karen Lunn (71) both moved up the leaderboard during the final round to finish at five-under-par and into a share of 16th position. Nikki Campbell shot a final round of 68 to finish a further shot back and tied for 18th. Stephanie Na (72) finished at one-over and tied for 25th, with Stacey Keating (71) finished the tournament at two-over and in a share for 30th position. The day, however, belonged to Pettersen who fired a flawless six-under-par 66 on the Sandbelt Trails Course to come from two shots back and win by one over third round leader and Rolex World No. 4 Inbee Park. The 31-year-old from Oslo finished a shot clear of Park with a 72-hole total of 18 under par. I felt like there was a 64 out there today and I got off to a good start. My goal was to get it to 20 under par. I said if I get beat at 20, I can live with it. I know Inbee is in there and if she just gets one look at a putt, it s in, so I had to bring my best and the putter was hot today, Pettersen said. I m very happy with how the game is and I m just very happy to see the work that the China Golf Association does with the kids and how they grow the game. Pettersen saved her best golf of the week until the final day and she said: I knew it would take the best to get this trophy but I was really keen on winning this tournament and it sets me up for a good start for this new year. She added: I ve been really enjoying myself here and I feel comfortable. I like coming back and playing on the European Tour. Defending champion, China s Shanshan Feng finished outright third at 11-under-par. The teams event was taken out by the South Korean duo of Inbee Park and Na Heul Kim. They won the aggregate competition by five shots over Norway. The Australian team of Lunn and Keating finished tied sixth.