Bogey-less golf helps Park claim LPGA event in Texas
IRVING, Texas — Inbee Park felt right at home in North Texas. The top-ranked woman in the world left with another trophy.
Park played the final 35 holes of the inaugural North Texas LPGA Shootout without a bogey, closing with a 4-under 67 Sunday to finish a stroke ahead of playing partner Carlota Ciganda. It was the third victory this season for the 24-year-old South Korean, and her fifth win her last 18 starts.
“It wasn’t something like I was making three, four birdies to catch her,” Park said. `All day, I was just trying to be really patient, and if the chances come, then I win. If not, maybe next chance.”
Ciganda shot a 70, losing the opportunity for her first LPGA victory with problems at Nos. 14 and 15, where Park took the lead with pars.
After Ciganda drove into the right rough with a tree between her and the 14th green, her shot from about 130 yards clipped a branch and came up short. She had a chance to save par but her 6-foot putt was short, and Park’s par got her within a stroke of the lead.
After stepping away from her approach at No. 15, to a green surrounded by water on three sides, Ciganda hit a shot that went to the right and then rolled down into the water. Ciganda had to go back to a drop zone, where the 22-year-old Spaniard had a decent pitch before her first putt rolled over the left edge of the green for a double bogey 6.
Park made another par and led for good.
“I’m very happy with my round and with my week. ... I had two bad holes on the back nine,” Ciganda said.
Between playing and practicing, Park visited Koreatown in Dallas only a few miles from the Las Colinas Country Club. She was also followed on the course by man.
“There (were) a lot of Korean girls cheering hard for me too. So, yeah, it felt like a little bit home. So that’s good,” said Park, who went to Koreatown three or four times. “I just go there to eat and go to bookstore and buy some books and just to look around.”
With the $195,000 check for first place, Inbee exceeded $6 million in career earnings and will be No. 1 for the third week in a row. It was her sixth career LPGA victory.
