INBEE PARK successfully defended her title in the 2014 LPGA Championship, taking her fifth major in a playoff over a hapless Brittany Lincicome.
Lincicome (71) had led for much of the tournament at the Monroe Golf Club in New York but nerves got the better of her coming down the stretch, blowing a two shot lead to allow Park (70) into a playoff when she three putted the last.
A par on the first playoff hole was enough for the South Korean to again win the title in a playoff and to take her tour win count to 11.
“I think it’s very lucky that I actually got an opportunity today, because you know, I thought I probably won’t get an opportunity with Brittany coming up the last and if she made a par I would not have gone into playoff,” Park said. “And I holed really good putts on number 17 and 18 to put me in the playoffs. So yeah, just very happy the way I played today.”
Lincicome was devastated after going into the final round with a one stroke lead and improving the lead as the day progressed.
“Just need to learn how to control the nerves a little bit more. I was really, really nervous coming down the stretch, especially the 18th hole and then the playoff, that putt that I had, the first putt, and then the chip that I had I was shaking like a leaf, which it’s hard to do anything when you’re shaking,” said Lincicome. “I feel like I was like — I don’t know what I had, but it’s just not a fun feeling.”
Seventeen year old Kiwi Lydia Ko will have to put off her plans to take a major title for another day – though it might not take too long.
Ko (70), who started the day four back, made a charge at Park and Lincicome in regulation, climbing to within one of the lead heading to the 17th tee, but she bogeyed the final two holes to finish in solo third at 8-under-par.
Karrie Webb (73) was the leading Aussie, finishing tied for 25th.
LPGA Championship Results