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Dialuna 14 September 2020 sports
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Mirim Lee wins a stunner in a playoff at the ANA Inspiration

It was her fourth LPGA Tour and-down, leading to double
victory, and first since the Kia bogey.
Classic three years ago. Korda answered with a tee
Her victory spared more con- shot into 5 feet for birdie on
versation about the blue wall the par-3 14th, and suddenly
behind the 18th green, which her lead was at two. But she
the tournament erected in couldn't hang on. Hender-
place of a hospitality chalet son's 8-foot birdie putt curled
that was not needed this year in the left side of the cup on
because there were no spec- No. 16 with perfect speed.
tators. Korda held onto the lead at
It was talked about all week, the 17th with an 8-foot par
and the chalet in a normal putt, and that set up the big
year has blocked shots hit finish on the 18th.Through
too hard. But it nearly de- it all, Lee was an afterthought
cided the tournament. Hen- until her stunning finish. She
derson was one shot behind already chipped in for birdie
with her ball sitting up in the from short of the green at
rough on the 18th in regula- No. 6. Lee gave herself a
tion. She hit 5-wood through chance by pitching in from
the green and under the blue short of the 16th green to a
bunting, allowing for a drop. back pin. And after a bogey
on the 17th, she went long
She chipped down to 2 feet of the 18th and chipped in
for birdie to join the three- for eagle, dropping her head
(AP) — Mirim Lee chipped into the water behind the is- Hills. Her birdie putt missed way playoff. with a soft smile in disbelief.
in three times Sunday, the land green. She got up-and- on the left side. Henderson needed a break Lexi Thompson, going after a
last one for eagle on the fi- down for birdie and a 69 to Lee hit 5-wood just over the after having to spend the fi- second title at Mission Hills,
nal hole that got her into join the playoff. back of the putting surface, nal hour trying to catch up was never a serious factor
a three-way playoff at the On the first extra hole, Korda chipped to 5 feet and made to Korda. The Canadian took after bogeys that slowed her
ANA Inspiration that she again missed the fairway and the winner. her only lead on the 12th hole momentum. She closed with
won on the first extra hole had to lay up, and her wedge Even with world No. 1 Jin when Korda made bogey, and two birdies on her last three
with a birdie. was 25 feet short for a birdie Young Ko and U.S. Women's it didn't last long. holes for a 69 to finish two
putt that never had a chance. Open champion Jeongeun Henderson drove into the shots out of the playoff.
It was another wild finish in Henderson's second shot Lee6 staying home because right rough on the 13th and U.S. Women's Amateur
the LPGA major that moved came up just short, and she of travel concerns with the 6-iron in the wrong place champion Rose Zhang bird-
from the first weekend of used putter for her eagle at- coronavirus, Lee made it — right again, with a bun- ied the 18th for a 72 to tie for
April to the 100-degree heat tempt that rolled out some 7 10 consecutive years with a ker guarding the front right 11th. She finished at 8-under
of September, and no one feet past the cup on the sun- South Korea winning a ma- pin. She flopped that into 280, setting the record for
was more surprised than the baked, fast greens of Mission jor. the bunker and didn't get up- lowest score by an amateur.
29-year-old Lee.
She was never in the lead at
any point until she calmly
holed a 5-foot birdie putt
on the 18th to beat Nelly
Korda and Brooke Hender-
son, who each had the lead
on the back nine. Lee pitched
in from long range for par on
the 16th, dropped a shot on
the next hole and appeared
to be out of it until her chip
from behind the 18th green
rammed against the pin and
dropped for eagle and a 5-un-
der 67.

Korda, the 22-year-old
American going for her first
major, had a two-shot lead
with four holes to play and
couldn't hold it. With a one-
shot lead going to the par-5
18th, Korda missed the fair-
way, had to lay up and missed
the green to the right, having
to scramble for par and a 69
just to match Lee at 15-under
273
Henderson lost the lead with
a double bogey on the 13th
hole that nearly cost her. But
she birdied the 16th and was
saved by the wall, a blue-
covered structure behind the
18th that kept her second
shot on the 18th from run-
ning through the green and