(23 August 2010 – North Plains, Oregon)
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Japan&aposs Ai Miyazato continued her amazing year by securing her fifth victory of the season at the Safeway Classic Presented by Coca-Cola on Sunday. On a tense final day where the Rolex World No.1 spot was also up for grabs, the diminutive Japanese starlet prevailed by two shots over current No.1 Cristie Kerr and Korea’s Na Yeon Choi. The win will see Miyazato return to the top of the rankings when they are published tomorrow.
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rnAfter opening with rounds of 66 and 67, Miyazato began the final round at 11-under par, with a three shot lead over the Korean pair of Choi and Song-Hee Kim. Trailing them by a shot was Kerr and another Korean Jiyai Shin, both of whom would have stood at the summit of the Rolex Rankings with a victory.
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rnBy the time the final two groups made the turn, Miyazato’s lead was just one shot, with Kerr and Kim chasing hard and Choi just a further shot back. Shin, in the third last group was also not out of it, just two back. Miyazato picked up a shot at the 11th but that was only to retain a share of the lead with Kim notching her third birdie in a row at the same hole. Kerr traded birdies with bogeys at the opening three holes to sit just one off the lead.
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rnThe Korean challenge faltered in the middle of the back nine; Shin making a double bogey at the 12th hole to fall from contention, Choi making back-to-back bogeys at the 12th and 13th holes and Kim dropping three shots from the 13th to the 16th holes to also lose any chance of victory.
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rnIt was left to Kerr and Miyazato to not only fight it out for the trophy but also the World No.1 spot. They came to the final three holes with Miyazato one in front and having the knowledge of seeing what Kerr was doing in the group in front. They matched pars on the 16th and 17th holes before Kerr, trying to make something happen at the last made a bogey. This meant Miyazato needed a bogey at worst to wrap up the title. She managed a par to collect the winner’s cheque for US$225,000. After her round she said, “I was really nervous on the front nine and trying to catch up with myself. But after 9th hole, then I made birdie — well, after the birdie on 9 it kind of gave me a good kick for the back nine, and so that really led me to the win today.”
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rnThere wasn’t much of a challenge from the ALPG contingent with Katherine Hull the best, finishing in a tie for 29th after a solid final round of 2-under par 70. Karrie Webb and Lindsey Wright (T55), Rachel Hetherington (T65), Cathryn Bristow (T69) and Sarah-Jane Smith (71st) all made the cut.
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rnThe LPGA moves to Canada this week for the US$2.25million CN Canadian Women’s Open, the tournament where Katherine Hull secured her first Tour victory in 2008. Joining her in one of the strongest fields of the year will be Michelle Ellis, Rachel Hetherington, Sarah Kemp, Sarah-Jane Smith, Karrie Webb and Lindsey Wright.