2006 Open - Round 3: Ji Eun-hee wins in playoff

South Korea’s Ji Eun-hee became the first double winner of the inaugural Ladies Asian Golf Tour when she won the US$80,000 LAGT Macau Championship at the third playoff hole after she and Thailand’s Porani Chutichai finished the championship tied on one-over 143 at the par-71 Macau Golf and Country Club here today.

To cap her fine performance, Ji pocketed US$12,000 that also gave her the LAGT Order-of-Merit title that comes with a place in the main draw of the US$350,000 Korean Ladies Open in May.

It was the second time that Ji finished winner on the Tour. Early this month, she won the US$100,000 Malaysian Ladies Open. On both occasions she had to rely on encouraging words from her father Young-ki who was carrying her bag.

“This win is for him (dad) and my family. He has been a source of inspiration to me – carrying my bag through the cold and rain and advising me to stay focus despite the adverse weather conditions here,” said Eun-hee.

Incidentally, Eun-hee was very disappointed that the second round yesterday was cancelled due to thick fog and heavy rains. When play was called off she was the clubhouse leader after playing three holes and birdying all of them. But it was later announced that the second round was scrapped and a fresh start would be made today.

“I was determined to go for it and I’m happy to have won. So what happened yesterday is now out of my mind,” she said.

“The course is very tough, the fairways are very narrow around the landing area and you have to be accurate off the tee to avoid the rough. I stuck to my gameplan and I got my rewards. You have to keep the ball on the fairways. If the wind picks up it will be hard to go low,” said Ji.

Porani was not disappointed. She had a chance to win it at the 18th but her approach shot left her with 20 yards to the pin and she failed to make the putt and that gave Ji who had already finished two flights earlier a chance at the title.

When asked what happened she said in a jest: “I wanted to make the tournament more interesting.”

However, on a serious note Porani said she made a serious attempt to putt the hole. “It fell short. I’m a bit disappointed but it all in a game,” she Porani, who also had her father carrying her bag.

In joint third place were two Koreans – Kim Hae-jung and Park Haen-nim. Kim, the winner in Zhuhai last week, was the leader until the 15th when she lost her ball at the 16th and dropped another stroke at the penultimate hole.

Leading scores (final):

143: Ji Eun-hee (Kor) 70-73; Porani Chutichai (Tha) 69-74 (Eun-hee wins playoff)
144: Kim Hae-jun (Kor) 72-72; Park Haen-nim (Kor) 69-75
145: Iida Maria Priscilla (Bra) 69-76
146: Saori Ikushima (Jpn) 74-72; Walailak Satarak (Tha) 72-74; Kim Eun-hee 71-75; Makiko Hasegawa (Jpn) 70-76; Ye-Liying (Chn) 68-78
147: Elizabeth McKinon (NZ) 72-75; Nontaya Srisawang (Tha) 70-77; Lee Jeong-eun (Kor) 70-77.

March 24, 2006

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