SYLVANIA, Ohio: South Korea's Yi Eun-jung birdied the first playoff hole to beat American Morgan Pressel and capture the LPGA Jamie Farr Classic.

"On 18, I was very nervous," admitted Yi, who earned $210,000 for the win.

The 21-year-old Yi captured her first career tour title also qualified for next week's US Women's Open after an even par-71 to finish at 18-under 266. Her weekend included a brilliant 61 on Saturday.

Three of the top five finishers at the 1.4-million-dollar event were South Koreans. The other two are Korean/American Michelle Kim and Pressel.

Pressel made a final round charge with a four-under 67, but fell short in the playoff.

She holed out for eagle on the par-five 17th then waited to see what Yi would do.

"I still can't believe that shot went in on 17," the 21-year-old Pressel said. "They were pretty pathetic bogeys. I just had this flare right going in the middle of my round there and I corrected it the last couple of holes and was able to hang in there."
The pair travelled back to the 18th hole at Highland Meadows Golf Club and both found the short grass off the tee. Both players laid up in the fairway, then Pressel knocked her approach to 25 feet on the fringe.

Yi placed her third shot 14 feet from the hole. Pressel missed her birdie putt left and tapped in for par. Yi rolled a 14-footer in for birdie and the win.

Kim Song-Hee three-putted for bogey at the last to drop into a share of third place at 16-under-par 268. She needed a birdie on the final hole to get into the playoff.

Kim closed with a two-under 69 to end alongside Michelle Wie (64) and Lee Seon-Hwa (67). The 64 for Wie was a career-best round on the LPGA Tour.

South Korea's InBee Park, who will defend her title at the Open next week, ended in a tie for 25th after a final-round 69.


- AFP/so