Debut this year and achieve personal best performance
Lito wins… Annalin tied for 6th
Hyejin Choi (23) took the runners-up with her best performance on the LPGA Tour.
Hyejin Choi hit 2 under par 69 with two birdies without bogey in the final round of the LPGA Tour CP Women’s Open held at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club (par 71) in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the 29th. With her final total of 18 under-par 266, Hyejin Choi was one shot behind winner Paularito (32, South Africa) and tied for second with Nelly Korda (24, USA).
Hyejin Choi, who made her debut on the LPGA tour this year, shared the lead with rookie Anna Lin (26) with a 16-under-par 197 until the third round. It was her first win since her debut, but she gave up the win to Rito, who played together in the group of champions by one shot and third. Lito, who debuted on her 2014 tour, is her first win. Anna Lin finished tied for sixth with a final total of 15-under 269.
Hyejin Choi said, “It’s very unfortunate, but I’m satisfied with the ending. “She liked to have a bogey-free round in the second half where she cut her at-bats,” she said. While Hyejin Choi was unable to reduce the number of strokes in the first half, Rito took the lead with 5 birdies, starting with the first hole (par 4). Hyejin Choi improved her rankings by birdies on the 15th (par 3) and 18th (par 5) holes and she finished the contest.
Hyejin Choi scored 1015 points in the Rookie of the Year award and narrowed the gap with Ataya Titikun (19, Thailand, 1075 points), the leader of the Rookie of the Year points, who tied 56th (4 under par 280) in this tournament to 60 points. Hyejin Choi said, “I am satisfied every week and I feel that her skills are improving. She is a rookie in the rest of the game and will confidently play good games,” she said.
Lydia Ko (25, New Zealand), the three-time winner of the tournament, finished fourth with a 17-under 267 shot. Kim A-rim (27) finished 5th (16-under 268 strokes) and Kim Se-young (29) tied ninth (12-under 272 strokes).
By Kim Dong-wook, staff reporter creating@donga.com
