South Korea’s Lee Mi-rim birdied the second playoff hole to beat former world No. 1 Inbee Park in the inaugural Meijer Classic on Sunday, winning her first LPGA title.
The 23-year-old Lee fired a 2-under-par final-round 69 to finish tied with Park on 14-under-par 270.
Park, who took a one-stroke lead into the final round, closed with a 1-under 70.
Photo: AFP
After both players parred the first playoff hole, Park’s 20-foot birdie attempt at the second hole of sudden death lipped out.
Lee then calmly rolled in a 5-foot putt for the win.
“I was nervous 100 percent,” Lee said. “Because it was my first time in a playoff in LPGA, so I’m really nervous, but it was very fun.”
Lee had four birdies and two bogeys in her round at Blythefield Country Club.
Park got off to a quick start, with birdies at the first and third, but did not find another birdie the rest of the way and gave a shot back with a bogey at 14. Lee, who earned her first career win on the LPGA Tour, carded a 2-under 69 during her final round.
Norway’s Suzann Pettersen finished in third place after a 69 for 271.
Japan’s Haru Nomura closed with a 68 for 274 to finish alone in fourth.
Three players shared fifth place on 9-under 275: Germany’s Sandra Gal (66), South Korean Amy Yang (68) and Denmark’s Line Vedel (70).
Taiwan’s Candie Kung carded an even-par 71 to finish tied for 50th place on 2-over 286.
Lee, whose previous best LPGA finish was a tie for second at the JTBC Founders Cup, became the fourth first-time winner on the tour this year along with New Zealand teenager Lydia Ko and Americans Lizette Salas and Mo Martin.
She is the first player to capture her first LPGA title in a playoff since Yang in the HanaBank Championship last year.
Lee said dueling with Park made the day even more special.
“In-bee Park is like hero in [South] Korea, so I just long to [be like] her, just follow her,” Lee said.
Park was unlucky at the first playoff hole. She fired an approach that hit the flagstick and the cup, but did not fall and ended up 15 feet past the hole.
“I hit two good tee shots and two good second shots,” she said of the playoff holes. At the second, she added, “I feel I hit a good putt, but it just didn’t go in.”
That was something of a theme for her entire day.
“Overall today I just hit the ball really great today, very consistent for four days, but today I think I only holed one putt today,” she said. “The putter just wasn’t there, so nice to shoot under par, but Mi-rim played well in the playoff holes.”
Park notched her 10th top-10 finish of the season heading into the LPGA’s fourth major of the year, the LPGA Championships at Pittsford, New York.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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