The LPGA Tour began the first of two events in the Far East with the HSBC Women’s World Golf Championship and the Sentosa Golf Club, Tanjong Course in Singapore. Last season, 11 of the top-12 players heading into the final round had already won on the LPGA Tour. Hyo Joo Kim entered the final found five shots back. A final round of 64 vaulted her to a one-shot win over Hannah Green.
This 72-hole event started in 2008 and is played on a par 72 layout of 6718 yards. The purse was a lofty $1.7 millions and 500 points towards the Race to the CME Globe awaited the winner.
First Round
Patty Tavatanakit of Thailand posted the round of the day of 67. She led by a shot over A Lim Kim, Inbee Park and Danielle Kang. A logjam of 14 sat two shots back which included big names such as Jin Young Ko, Brooke Henderson, Lydia Ko, PajareeAnannarukarn, Jennifer Kupcho, and AtthayaThitikul. Just three shots off the pace with rounds of 70 included Jeongeun Lee6, Gaby Lopez, Perinne Delacour, and Leona Maguire. In the mix at one-under par was Yuka Saso and Madelene Sagstrom. Five shots back were a group that included notables Ariya Jutanugarn, Nasa Hataoke, and Celine Boutier. Over par and needing help include Sei Young Kim and Matilda Castren (+2), Yealimi Noh (+3), and Charley Hull (+4).
Second Round
The field was dwindled by one after Charley Hull withdrew after her opening round of 76. Scoring was excellent in the second round. Yealimi Noh got into contention after and eagle and five birdies from the 8th through the 13th hole. Her round of 64 placed her at five-under along with Su Oh, Inbee Park, and Danielle Kang. At the top of the leaderboard was Jin Young Ko and Amy Young, who both shot rounds of 67 and were at eight-under par. Megan Khang recorded a round of 67 and was shot back, along with AtthayaThitikul and Brooke Henderson.
Lurking just two shots back were In Gee Chun, PajareeAnannarukarn, Angel Yim, and A Lim Kim. After a round of 68, Ariya Jutanugarn was in the hunt at four-under, along with Jeongeun Lee6, Gaby Lopez, and Jennfer Kupcho. One player who struggled was Patty Tavatanakit, who fell five shots back after a round of 74. Notables included Lydia Ko (two-under), Nasa Hataoka (one-under), Yuka Saso (even), Stacy Lewis (one-over), and Moriya Jutanugarn (two-over).
Third Round
A round that included six birdies and no bogeys vaulted In Gee Chun to the top of the leaderboard at 12-under par. Jeongeun Lee6 posted a 65 that included seven birdies and an eagle and was only a shot back along with Jin Young Ko. Three shots off the pace were Danielle Kang, after a round of 68, along with AtthayaThitikul and Amy Yang. Hannah Green put herself in position for another Sunday charge after a round of 66. She was at 7-under along with PajareeAnannarukarn. Nasa Hataoka blistered the front nine with a 31, finishing with a 67 and led a group of five at six-under par.
A larger group of nine were seven shots back, which included notables Ariya Jutanugran, Leona Maguire, Madelene Sagstrom, and Gaby Lopez. Patty Tavatanakit failed to make a move up the leaderboard and was eight shots back at four-under, along with Inbee Park. Notables included Celine Boutier (three-under), Lydia Ko (two-under), Sei Young Kim (one-under), Moriya Jutanugarn (even), and Yuka Saso (one-over).
Final Round
Players went low on the final round, but none more so than Minjee Lee, who posted a 63 that included ten birdies. She vaulted from 10th to a tie for second, along with In Gee Chun at 15-under par. Shooting a round of 64 was Momoko Ueda, which included an eagle on the par-5 16th. She finished tied for 13th at nine-under. At the very top of the leaderboard was the ever steady and dominant Jin Young Ko, whose 66 gave her a two-shot win. The victory was Ko’s 13th LPGA Tour win and 25th professional title.
Three shots off the pace and tied for 4th were AtthayaThitikul, and Jeongeun Lee6. Hannah Green shot another round of 66 and was tied for 6th along with Brooke Henderson and Amy Yang. A Lim Kim secured a top-ten finish after her round of 66 placed her tied for 9th with Danielle Kang. Xiyu Lin and Nasa Hataoka rounded out those players finishing in double-digits under par. A group of four at nine-under included Leona Maguire, while Ariya Jutanugarn and Inbee Park led a group of five at eight-under. Notables included Lydia Ko and Gaby Lopez (seven-under), Patty Tavatanakit (six-under), Moriya Jutanugarn (three-under), and Yuka Saso (two-under).
Coming Up
The ladies of the LPGA Tour head to the Siam Country Club, Pattaya Old Course in Chronburi, Thailand for the Honda LPGA Thailand from March 10-13. Last season, Ariya Jutanugarn posted a final round of 63 to win by one shot. She became the first player from Thailand to win the event in 14 years.
The 72-hole event began in 2006 and is played on a par 72 layout of 6576 yards. The purse is $1.6 million with 500 points towards the CME Race to the Globe for the winner.
