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Korean LPGA rookie claims first career win

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South Korean golfer Lee Mi-rim claimed her maiden LPGA Tour victory in a playoff at the inaugural Meijer LPGA Classic on Sunday in Michigan.

Lee, a rookie on the tour, beat fellow South Korean Park In-bee on the second playoff hole with a birdie at the par-71 Blythefield Country Club in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

In her previous 13 starts in 2014, Lee had recorded just one top-10 finish and had missed the cut four times. The unheralded 23-year-old has three Korean LPGA victories to her credit.

Lee and Park ended the regulation tied at 14-under 270. Park began the day leading Lee by one stroke at 13-under, but shot a 1-under 70 in the final round with two birdies and a bogey.

Lee picked up four birdies against two bogeys for a round of 2-under 69. She pulled even with Park at 14-under with a birdie on the par-4 15th and closed out the regulation with three straight pars to force the playoff.

The two went back to the par-4 18th for the first playoff hole and both had pars. Back on the short par-4 17th, Lee reached the greenside bunker off the tee and put her second shot to within four feet of the pin.

Park, No. 3 in the world, left the second shot well back of the hole, and her birdie attempt grazed the right side of the cup and missed. Lee then stepped up to drain the clinching putt for the victory.

Over four rounds, Lee averaged 280.38 yards off the tee, more than 20 yards longer than Park.

Lee joins Park, who won the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic in June, as the only two South Koreans with an LPGA win this year. Michelle Wie, born in Hawaii to South Korean parents, and Lydia Ko, a South Korean-born Kiwi, each have two victories in 2014.

Park came up shy of winning her first tournament with a new putter, but she appears to be in form heading into her title defense at the Wegmans LPGA Championship, the fourth major of the year, starting Thursday in Pittsford, New York.

Suzann Pettersen, who briefly shared the lead with the two South Koreans, committed a bogey on the par-4 16th and ended up in sole possession of third place at 13-under.

Amy Yang was the third Korean in the top-10. She tied two others for fifth at 9-under. (Yonhap)





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