Han beats Ward at third playoff hole

Two down, one to go for Hee-Won Han.

Han made a 25-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole Sunday to beat Wendy Ward and win the Wendy's Championship for Children.

It was Han's second victory of the year, following her win last month at the Big Apple Classic.

Han finished second three times last year -- and has redeemed herself with victories in the first two tournaments she revisited in 2003. Next on the list is the Longs Drugs Challenge in October.

"Indescribable," Han said of her emotions after collecting the $165,000 first-place check.

Han, who finished a shot behind Mi Hyun Kim a year ago, ended up at 17-under 199. She held off Meg Mallon last month to win the Big Apple Classic after placing second to fellow South Korean Gloria Park the year before.

Han closed with a 66, falling into the playoff when she bogeyed the par-3 17th hole just moments after Ward birdied it. Both players parred the closing hole, just missing lengthy birdie putts.

Ward, who shot a 63 Sunday, could have closed it out on the first hole of sudden death but missed a 7-foot birdie putt after Han overshot the green.

"I felt I should have made that putt," Ward said. "I just didn't hit it hard enough."

Han then chipped to 3 feet and made the par putt to stay alive.

On the second playoff hole, the 10th, both drove into the fairway. From 131 yards, Han hit an 8-iron to 4 feet. Hitting second, Ward's wedge from 118 yards flew the green and ended up on the back fringe.

"I thought I would make the putt and would win," Han said.

But Ward, who won this tournament two years ago, used her putter to hole the downhill 35-foot shot from above the hole -- pumping her fist and flashing a broad smile as the ball glanced off the pin and into the hole.

"I had hit it over that green in regulation and I kind of knew what the ball would do," Ward said. "I tried to tag it as good as I could for a downhill putt and it just snuck in the left side."

Han then dropped in her short birdie putt.

Asked if Ward's shot suddenly made her putt look twice as long, Han laughed and said, "It was still 4 feet!"

On the third playoff hole, the 136-yard 17th tucked behind a large pond, both players hit onto the green. Han went first.

"She's a very, very good putter and she works on her putting all the time," Ward said. "I actually expected her to make that."

Han said the instant her putter struck the ball, "I thought it was in. ... There was not much break -- a nice, straight putt."

Ward needed to make her own 30-footer to keep the playoff alive, but the ball fell just short on the left side of the cup. She said she thought the putt was in the heart of the cup, but it curled off.

Han began the day tied for the lead at 11 under with Candie Kung, then sprinted to the front with birdies on the first two holes at Tartan Field Golf Club. She rolled in a 4-foot putt on the opening hole and then hit a 25-footer on the second.

After posting a 67 Saturday, Ward predicted she would need to shoot 8 or 9 under to have a chance of winning. She carded a 9 under -- and it still wasn't quite good enough.

She hit a wedge to 8 inches on the opening hole for a birdie, and then nearly holed her second shot at the par-5 fourth. But the ball rattled around the hole before resting on the lip after she hit a 7-wood from 219 yards. She followed that tap-in eagle with birdies at Nos. 5, 7, 8 and 9 to make the turn in 29.

Still, she only had gained a stroke on Han.

Han also eagled the fourth, chipping in from the second cut behind the green, then rolled in a 10-footer at No. 5. She chipped from right of the green to 4 feet at the ninth hole for another birdie and a 30 on the front side.

With Han leading by two strokes, Ward hit to 5 feet at the 17th hole and dropped the birdie putt to cut the gap to a shot.

Playing in the group immediately behind Ward, Han had her only three-putt of the tournament for a bogey to drop into the tie.

Michele Redman was alone in third place at 15 under after a 67. The native of Zanesville, Ohio -- about 60 miles from the course -- was followed by a large group of family and friends.

Two-time U.S. Open winner Juli Inkster closed with a 66 for 12 under, while Kung's 72 left her at 11 under.

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