Han Places 2nd at LPGA Sybase Classic

One stroke behind Lorena Ochoa, Han Hee-won (FILA Korea) swung her 3-wood, hoping to make the green in two strokes at the 18th hole (par 5). The ball stopped 30 yards from the pin. Her third shot was short as well; the birdie putt stopped right next to the cup. Ochoa, on the other hand, got a birdie after putting her ball 1m away from the cup with a shot from the rough. It was the moment when the tense balance between a win and a loss shifted to one side. The third and final round of the LPGA tour’s Sybase classic in New Rochelle, New York, ended with Ochoa winning the crown.

2003 champion Han Hee-won finished as the runner-up along with Bae Gyeong-eun (CJ). Han’s final line was 3-under par, 210 strokes from six birdie, two bogies, and one double-bogie. Although she didn’t win, Han made the top-five in four consecutive matches. Han also was the runner-up in last week`s Michelob Ultra Open. Korean players did well so far, landing in second place seven times in 11 tours held this season.

Bae Gyeong-eun made her LPGA debut this year. She celebrated her 20th birthday by making the top-10 for the first time in her life. Park Hee-jung (CJ) landed in a sixth place tie with Annika Sorenstam with an even par, 216 strokes.

Jong-Seok Kim kjs0123@donga.com