Incheon, South Korea (SportsNetwork.com) – Kyu Jung Baek defeated fellow South Korean In Gee Chun and American Brittany Lincicome for the first time on Sunday, winning the LPGA KEB – HanaBank Championship.
Baek, who led Hee-Kyung Bae at the start of the final, scored a 5-under-67. Chun and Lincicome played 6 under 66 to finish the Baek duel with 10 under par 278. This victory was Baek’s first on the race track.
When I began my journey in the championship, my goal was to be in the top 10, but after a very good third round yesterday, my goal was to be in the top 5 this morning, said, Baek. But I must say I was a little more aware of the victory because I was extremely nervous this morning that I couldn’t sleep.
Two-time champion Inbee Park, another South Korean, scored a 67 on the road for a 9-year-old and under-279-year-old player and finished fourth alone. United States Open champion Michelle Wie showed up for the first time since she withdrew from her last two events due to a hand injury and went 67 with Catriona Matthew. Wie and Matthew finished fifth with 8 of 280.
Hyo Joo Kim, one of five South Koreans who finished in the top 10, finished seventh after the last lap 66 in the last 7. Bae made a par 72 and finished 12th out of 283 on the Ocean Course at Sky 72 Golf Club.
Baek, who played with Bae and Park in the latter group, did not have the fastest start. After three consecutive pairs at the start of the round, Baek left his first bird in fourth place. The victory was eliminated two holes later when Baek fell on his first Bogeyman in sixth place. He finished the top 9 with three additional pairs. Go around the couple for the day.
The tough fight
After another pair of 10s, Baek looked huge when he took five little birds out of 11 and took them below 10 during the week. Three consecutive pairs of No. 16 ended up on Baek’s lap when he joined Chun and Lincicome at the top of the overall standings.
When I got to the top 9, my goal was to get to the top 5, so I focused on each hole and started bird watching, Baek said. Since then, everything has worked for me.
Chun touched the penultimate group and took the first steps when MyWegmansConnect spilled one and two birds on his back. After four consecutive No. 3 games, Chun closed his forehead with two birds at seven and nine to join a pair of eight.
Chun has not slowed down in the past nine years while looking at her minus ten on days 11 and 13. Chun’s first and only trick at position 14 was an accident, but she immediately responded with the seventh bird of the day # 15. Chun ended the race transaction with three consecutive pairs to join Lincicome in the clubhouse, the lead.
Lincicome, who finished second in this year’s Wegmans LPGA Championship after falling out of the playoffs, was able to break free. Lincicome played from the fourth to the last group and kissed the second, fifth, and eighth when they took turns at 7 cents.
Two other birds, 11 and 13, listed Lincicome below 9. He gave up a little with four of the 14 pairs, but a giant bird on the latter proved significant when he placed Lincicome in the clubhouse. Chun and Baek dominated the overall standings at that time.
“Of course, I skipped a few yesterdays. I played so well today that I had so many good moves, especially when I got there,” said Lincicome. Some pictures of the MyWegmansConnect where I felt it was like a hole and I missed something. Maybe it wasn’t my day. But I think I did less than six today, obviously, it was pretty bad, a good day daring to go in. You can’t be too sad