Page 19 - ARUBA TODAY

A19
SPORTS Monday 5 March 2018

Wie clinches LPGA Singapore

event for first win since 2014

SINGAPORE (AP) — Mi- "I had a bunch of putts that Kim set the bar high, flirting
chelle Wie holed a 36-foot were really close and a lot with a 59 before settling for
putt from off the green on of them lipped and burned a course record of 10-un-
the final hole to win the edges. It definitely hurts, der 62.
Women's World Champion- but that's golf," Korda said. Wie made a strong start
ship by one stroke on Sun- "There's going to be anoth- with three birdies on the
day and capture her first er tournament. There's go- front nine then added three
LPGA tournament since the ing to be another feeling more in her first five holes
2014 U.S. Women's Open. like this. Just have to keep after the turn before sav- In this Aug. 16, 2017, file photo, United States' Michelle Wie
With four players in conten- going forward". ing her best for last when walks off the 18th tee during practice for the Solheim Cup golf
tion to win on the last hole, Danielle Kang, last year's the pressure was at its most tournament in West Des Moines, Iowa.
Wie managed to separate Singapore winner, parred suffocating.q Associated Press
herself from the pack when her last 14 holes and was
she drained her lengthy unable to drain a longer
birdie putt on the 72nd hole birdie putt on the last to
at the Sentosa Golf Club for miss out on a playoff as
a final round of 7-under 65 she closed with a 70. Kor-
to finish at 17-under 271. da and Kang finished in a
The 28-year-old Wie, who four-way tie for second at
led the tournament after 16-under, alongside Jenny
three rounds a year ago Shin (65) and Brooke Hen-
before fading on the last derson (67).
day, leaped into the air "I couldn't capitalize on
and clenched her fist in those holes, which was kind
celebration as the ball dis- of disappointing," Kang
appeared into the bottom said. "But other than that,
of the cup. struck the ball well and I
But she still faced an anx- hung in there. So she (Wie)
ious wait before being de- dropped the bomb on the
clared the champion. last. I heard it from a hole
"Winning is everything. I back." Shin held the out-
mean, there is no better right lead when she teed
feeling than when you think off at the last after reeling
you sink that winning putt. off eight birdies between
It's a high, for sure," Wie the sixth and 16th holes,
said. but she dropped back to
"You go out there, and 16-under when she made
it's this feeling that gets her only bogey of the day
you going. It's this feeling on the final hole.
that makes you practice. "The nerves got me, may-
It's that winning putt that be," Shin said. "Not sure if I
makes you practice for would have made that mis-
hours and hours and hours, take on many other holes.
and even the hard times, it Oh, well."
gets you going back. You Henderson birdied four of
know that good feeling is her first eight holes to move
on the other side." up the leaderboard but
Third-round leader Nelly could not get another bird-
Korda parred her last 8 ie putt to drop in until the
holes in a row. The 19-year- final hole when it was too
old, who only joined the late for her to catch Wie.
LPGA Tour last year, hit a Plagued by injuries since
superb approach into the capturing her first major at
18th to set up a birdie op- Pinehurst, North Carolina in
portunity that would have 2014, Wie started Sunday's
forced a playoff but missed final round five strokes off
her 8-foot putt and settled the pace and needing to
for a final-round 71. shoot low after Sei Young