The wait is over for Amy Yang as she outlasted a one-hole playoff with Hee Kyung Seo at the LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship to become the fourth Rolex First-Time Winner this season. Both South Koreans fired 9-under three-day totals in regulation but Yang prevailed with a birdie on the first playoff hole at the par-5 18th. A member of the LPGA Tour since 2009, Yang has knocked on the door of her first-ever LPGA Tour victory several times including the 2011 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Presented by P&G where she lost in a playoff to Yani Tseng and the 2012 U.S. Women’s Open where she finished runner-up. I have been waiting for this championship for a long time, and I&aposm really happy get it in my home country, said Yang. I think still I can&apost believe it. Yang began Sunday s final round trailing co-leaders Katherine Hull-Kirk and Anna Nordqvist by 1-stroke. The South Korean lingered around the top of the leaderboard throughout most of the final round but finally surged into a tie for the lead after an eagle at the par-4 15th moved her to 8-under for the tournament. Hull-Kirk, chasing her third LPGA Tour victory, endured a horror round and finished with a final round 80. With pars on the next two holes, Yang was able to keep her composure and birdie the scoreable par-5 18th to force a playoff with Seo. Both players hit errant tee-shots on the first playoff hole with Yang s finding the right rough and Seo s finding the left. Momentum slowly swung Seo s way after Yang s tricky lie in the rough left her with a lengthy third shot. Despite the difficult third shot, both players managed to find the green in regulation but Yang sunk her 15-foot birdie putt to hoist the trophy. I mean, unfortunately this is third time, I guess, and I couldn&apost win at the playoff, said Seo. But I played really well last two days. Just I think the big miss was No. 14 hole, I missed short putt. That was a big one that I could not win. I&aposm really happy for Amy. She was waiting for really long time. I think I can wait more than her. I know it&aposs going to be coming soon for me, so I will just wait and do my things. Playing in front of a large gallery consisting of several close friends and family, Yang fought back tears as she became the eighth Korean to win the LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship since 2002.
Author: LPGA