(9 November 2009 – Shima-shi, Mie Prefecture, Japan)
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South Korean Bo Bae Song, winner of the Japan Women&aposs Open five weeks ago, has backed up that performance with an impressive win at the Mizuno Classic on Sunday. Song had to beat the best from the LPGA and LPGA of Japan in this limited field co-sanctioned event, a feat she accomplished after rounds of 68, 65 and 68. Her 54-hole total of 15-under par 201 was a comfortable three shots in front of a trio of players; Mexico’s World No.1, Lorena Ochoa, Korea’s Hee Young Park and America’s Brittany Lang.
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rn Song began the final day at 11-under par with a one shot lead after a night where she said, “I couldn’t sleep last night because I was so nervous.” However she didn’t show those nerves once on the course, playing the front nine in a solid bogey-free 2-under par with birdies at the 3rd and 7th holes. Her nearest competitors heading into the final round were Japan’s Akane Iijima and Korea’s In-Kyung Kim both a shot behind with another Japanese player Rui Kitada two behind. While Iijima faltered with early bogeys, both Kim and Kitada kept pace with Song, finishing the front side at 11 and 12-under respectively.
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rnAt the time when the leading players were making the turn, Ochoa was finishing her impressive bogey-free round of 8-under par 64 to set the clubhouse lead at 12-under par. Song then moved out to a comfortable lead after birdies at the 10th, 12th and 13th holes. Kitada began to struggle with bogeys on the 11th, 14th and 15th to eventually finish in a tie for 9th while Kim also made late bogeys (on 16 & 17) to finish on the same score.
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rnPlaying together, Park and Lang made a run at Song, both of them making a string of birdies at the 13th, 14th and 15th holes to reach 13-under par, just two behind Song. However, while Song stayed solid, Park and Lang each made a bogey over the final three holes to leave the Korean with a three-shot cushion playing the last. After collecting the US$210,000 winner’s cheque and admitting to nerves, Song said, “I’ve started hitting balls well since last week, and that lead to this victory I think.”
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rnIn a compelling side issue to the concluding tournaments, Jiyai Shin is aiming to win both the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year and the Rolex Player of the Year. After already wrapping up the Rookie of the Year title, Shin leads the Player of the Year race by a slim 4 points over Lorena Ochoa with two events remaining. If Shin were to hold onto her lead, she would become the first woman since LPGA and World Golf Halls of Famer Nancy Lopez in 1978 to achieve the feat.
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rnLindsey Wright was the best of the ALPG contingent finishing in a tie for 25th with Karrie Webb a further shot back tied for 29th. Tamie Durdin (T45), Katherine Hull (T51) and Nikki Campbell (T73) were solid all week but couldn’t match the number of birdies being made at the top of the leaderboard.
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rnThe players move from Japan to Mexico this week for the US$1.1million Lorena Ochoa Invitational by Banamex and Corona Light in Guadalajara. This is another of the limited field events with just 36 of the game’s elite invited by the World No.1 which includes Australia’s Karrie Webb, Lindsey Wright and Katherine Hull.
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Photo – Bo Bae Song