(25 May 2009 – Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, Japan)
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rnSouth Korean Eun-A Lim secured her second LPGA of Japan title with a playoff victory over Japan&aposs Yuko Mitsuka at the Chukyo TV Bridgestone Ladies Open yesterday. The pair finished on 7-under par total 209 to finish three shots clear of a trio of challengers; Yukari Baba and Akiko Fukushima of Japan and China&aposs Na Zhang.
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rnLim started the final round at 4-under par and tied with Japan’s Maiko Wakabayashi in second place behind Mitsuka, who held a 2-shot advantage with 18 holes to play. Wakabayashi made a horrid start and played the front nine in 4-over par to effectively leave it for Lim and Mitsuka to fight for the title. That they did! After nine holes, they were all tied at 5-under par. Lim forged a 1-shot lead after 11 holes, and then regained her 2-shot advantage with an eagle at the par-5 13th hole, which Lim also birdied.
rnHaving to play catch-up golf, Lim made back-to-back birdies at 15 and 16 to join Mitsuka in the lead. Both players then bogeyed the 17th before pars at the 18th led them to a playoff situation.
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rnIt took until the third extra hole for Lim to claim victory after Mitsuka had overshot the green with her second and couldn’t get up and down. Lim secured the victory with short par putt and later said, “I’m thrilled. I kept making good shots and putts this week. I wasn’t nervous in the first playoff of my career.” The win sees Lim move into 10th place on the Money List with ¥23,367,666 (approx. AUD$315,395.00). Japanese superstar, Sakura Yokomine leads that list with ¥41,349,000 (approx. AUD$558,091.00).
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rnTamie Durdin began the final round in a tie for 4th at 2-under par, however faded in the final round with a 2-over par 74 to finish in a tie for 20th at 1-over par on a tightly packed leaderboard. Nikki Campbell fired a final round Even par 72 to move into a tie for 29th just one shot behind Durdin.
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Photo by Anthony Powter – Tamie Durdin