VANCOUVER – Megan Khang needed a birdie on the 18th hole to force a play-off with South Korea’s Ko Jin-young on Sunday, then won the Canadian Women’s Open on the first extra hole in Vancouver.
The American had a one-shot lead after two rounds and started the final round with a three-shot advantage, but she struggled to a two-over 74 on Sunday. But it was just enough to stay even with Ko and finish off her first career victory in eight years at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club.
“It’s tough to win out here,” Khang said. “Eight years is a long time. It’s great to get the first.”
Khang and Ko (69) were tied at nine-under 279 heading into the play-off.
“Out there, seemed like a struggle out there for me,” Khang said about her career on the Golf Channel broadcast. “I’ve been hitting the ball so good this week and then couple missed fairways, couple punch outs, couple early bogeys, and you look at the leaderboard and you are wondering when you’re going to get it going.”
The 25-year-old said she told her caddie: “I definitely need you to talk to me because I’m freaking out in my head.”
Khang had bogeys at the third and sixth holes to fall to nine under for the tournament. Another bogey at No. 10 dropped her to eight under but she had birdies on three of her last eight holes, including consecutive birdies at Nos. 11 and 12, as well as two more bogeys.
Ko started the day at six under but roared into contention by going two under on the front nine. She had a bogey at No. 11 but took the lead with birdies at Nos. 14 and 16, only to watch Khang tie her late.
“Well, I didn’t expect I would play in the play-off, because (I was) five shots behind Megan, but I know if I got lots of birdies it would be chance to win,” Ko said.
Yin Ruoning of China finished two shots behind the leaders at seven under with a red-hot 66 on Sunday for the best round in the field. Australia’s Hannah Green (69) and South Korea’s Kim Sei-young (74) were tied for fourth at six under.
Khang is the first American to win the Canadian Women’s Open since Brittany Lincicome earned the trophy in 2011. She passed US$1 million (S$1.35 million) in season earnings with the victory that came in her 191st career LPGA start.
“I know my game is kind of trending and it’s kind of matured over the past few years, and so I kind of was more so like it’s going to happen; it’s just a matter of time,” said Khang, a native of Brockton, Massachusetts.
“Just happened to be at the CPKC Open... This course suited my game very well and I’m just pumped to finally get the first one.” REUTERS, AFP
