(20 September 2010 – Mihama, Aichi Prefecture, Japan)
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Rolex World No.18 Mi-Jeong Jeon captured her third title of the year in Japan on Sunday at the Munsingwear Ladies Tokai Classic. The Korean finished her round with four straight birdies to finish on 14-under par and overtake the leaders finishing two shots in front of compatriot Sun-Ju Ahn with Na-Ri Kim, another young Korean, in outright third a further shot back.
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rnThe final round began with Kim and defending champion Sakura Yokomine at 9-under and holding a one-shot lead over Japan’s Yui Kawahara. A group of five players were at 7-under par while Jeon started the day 3 shots off the pace on 6-under with Ahn a shot back on 6-under. Through nine holes the race was between these five players with Kim on 11-under leading the pack after posting four birdies and two bogeys on her outward nine. Yokomine had picked up one shot to move to 10-under while Kawahara, Jeon and Ahn had all moved to 9-under.
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rnYokomine moved to a tie for the lead at 11-under with a birdie early on the back nine but that was really the end of the challenge for her, Kim and Kawahara. Yokomine and Kawahara both made bogeys at the 13th while Ahn and Jeon up ahead were starting their moves. Playing a couple of groups ahead of the leaders, both players managed birdies at the 15th and 16th holes to move to 12-under. It was then left to Jeon to finish it off as she posted a further two birdies at the final two holes to complete a remarkable round of 8-under par 64 and claim victory by two shots.
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rnIt was the 16th time in 5 years that Jeon had raised the winner’s trophy and she moved up to 3rd on the Money List with ¥62,086,444 (approx. AUD$771,669) in season earnings. Ahn, who also fired a superb final round of 7-under par 65 to finish second, continues to lead the race for the leading money winner with ¥79,173,500 (approx. AUD$984,044) in prizemoney. Having not played this week Australia’s Nikki Campbell dropped to 8th.
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rnUnfortunately, Tamie Durdin and Susie Mathews failed to make the final round after missing the cut.
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Photo courtesy of LPGA of Japan.