(Aichi, Japan)
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rnJapan&aposs Yuri Fudoh has secured her third win of the year with a playoff victory at the Munsingwear Ladies Tokai Classic in Mihama, Aichi Prefecture. Joining her in the playoff were overnight leader Yayoi Arasaki and World No. 16 Momoko Ueda, both from Japan.
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rnGoing into the final round, there were 16 players on 3-under par or better, with Arasaki out in front by 2 shots on 8-under. Fudoh, who was playing in the fourth last group, posted a bogey-free round of 5-under par 67 to move to 8-under. She thought that it wasn’t going to be enough saying, “I thought playoff chances were becoming slimmer and was preparing to go home when Ueda-san was moving up the leaderboard.” However, Ueda, playing one group in front of Fudoh made her only bogey of the day at the last hole to drop back into a tie for the clubhouse lead with Fudoh.
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rnIt was then left up to Arasaki who was fighting all the way to win her first title. Mixing birdies with bogeys throughout the day, she moved in to a share of the lead with a birdie at the 15th hole but could not muster another as she finished with three pars to force a three-way playoff.
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rnThe trio of players marched back up the 18th and all three found the 367-yard par 4 in regulation with Fudoh the first to putt. She duly holed her curling 25-footer to put the pressure on both Ueda and Arasaki who both missed their birdie attempts. This saw Fudoh wrap up her 45th career title and a cheque for ¥12,600,000 (approx. AU$140,000). After the playoff she said, “I just tried to go out there and show everything I have once I got in the playoff.”
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rnTamie Durdin was the only Australian competitor this week, finishing in a tie for 17th place at 1-under par total 215. This result saw her move up two places in the money list to 57th. She now has season earnings of ¥9,867,209 (approx. AU$110,000).
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