(16 August 2010 – Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, Japan) 
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Nikki Campbell has finished in the runner-up position for the third time this season as Korea's Ji-Hee Lee shot a final round of 5-under par 67 to claim the NEC Karuizawa 72 title. Lee&aposs final winning margin was two shots over Campbell and Japan’s Akiko Fukushima who also shot a final round 67. Japanese favourite Ai Miyazato, who held the lead with Campbell going into the final round, faded with a final round of 1-over par 73 to finish 4th.
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rnThe lead for Campbell and Miyazato (both 9-under) was slim heading into the final round with Lee just one shot behind, while a group of three were at 7-under par; Chie Arimura, Miki Saiki and Mi-Jeong Jeon. Fukushima started the day at 6-under.
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rnFukushima was the first to lay down a challenge as she birdied the first three holes and added a fourth birdie at the 5th hole to reach 10-under. Behind her, Campbell, Miyazato and Lee made cautious openings to their round each making pars at their opening three holes before the Australian regained a share of the lead with Fukushima with a birdie at the 4th hole. Fukushima made back-to-back bogeys at the 7th and 8th holes to fall out of the lead, while Lee kept up with Campbell posting birdies at the 5th and 9th holes. So, with nine holes to play, it was a race in four with Campbell and Lee at 10-under while Miyazato and Fukushima were at 9-under.
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rnAll four players made birdie at the par-5 10th hole. Miyazato cancelled out her birdie with a bogey at the next, a feat which she duplicated at the 13th and 14th holes to virtually slip out of contention. Lee took the outright lead with back-to-back birdies at the 14th and 15th holes and made pars until the finish. Campbell fought valiantly, staying just one behind with her birdie at the 15th, however a disappointing bogey at the 16th put paid to her chances of a third Japanese title. Fukushima pulled within one shot after a birdie at the 16th but made bogey at the 17th to also fall from contention.
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rnIn the end, a flawless bogey-free round of 67 was enough to get the job done for Lee. It is her first title of the season and the 14th of her career on the LPGA of Japan. She moved up to 5th on the Money List with the ¥12,600,000 winner’s cheque. Since joining the Tour in 2000, she has finished 2nd on the Money List twice (2003 & 2008) and has been a model of consistency, finishing in the Top-10 on the Money List six of her nine full seasons.
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rnWhile disappointed, Campbell has once again demonstrated her rise to prominence, with three 2nd placings and 10 other Top-20’s in 17 starts this season. She now sits 11th on the Money List with ¥35,854,475 (approx. AUD$465,491 in prizemoney). Her career earnings now amount to nearly AUD$3.5million.
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Photo courtesy of LPGA of Japan.