Australia's Su Oh conjured one of the best rounds of her short professional career to achieve a best-ever second place at the LPGA Tour's Kingsmill Championship in Virginia today, setting herself up for the rest of the year.
Oh, the Melburnian who is just two years into her professional life, held a share of the lead through the closing round at the Kingsmill resort only to be overtaken late by Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn, who won her second consecutive LPGA event.
The Metropolitan Golf Club member, a member of Golf Australia's rookie squad of young pros and who turns 20 today (Australian time), held the clubhouse lead when she bombed an eight-metre birdie putt at the last hole, signing for a 65.
But Jutanugarn made safe pars at the last two holes to hold out and win.
Oh, who collected $US120,000, is now approaching full status on the LPGA Tour after previously having only conditional status, with a reshuffle to occur in a few weeks. Her fourth place in the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open early in the year has kickstarted her season, followed up with several made cuts, and she is well inside the top 80 in the Race to CME Globe standings. A full LPGA Tour card looks a sure thing.
Back in Australia, she has already won the Australian Ladies Masters and been runner-up in the Victorian Open after completing a fine amateur career including a triumph with Minjee Lee and Shelly Shin in the world amateur teams championship in 2014.
"I was about three back, and I knew I had to get off to a really good start, and I did,'' she said today. "So yes, it was just one shot at a time. In the middle I had a little bit of a flat with not too many birdies, but then I got it back going on the last five holes. It was good, but all of us in our group had it going, so it was good company.''
Oh said the finish would give her a boost for the remainder of the year. "Yes, (it will provide) a lot of confidence. Like I said, I had conditional, so that's why I keep having to do like one day at a time because I can't look ahead. Like I booked my flights next week like two days ago, so I just can't book anything in advance. But in a good way, then, I can only look at the next day or just this week, and I just have to play well and the opportunities that I get.''
Minjee Lee also logged a top-10 finish after carding an even-par 71 today.