Inbee Park wins North Texas Shootout

Inbee Park wins North Texas Shootout










Michael Eldridge, The Sports Xchange April 28, 2013 8:40 PMThe SportsXchange



IRVING, Texas -- World No. 1 Inbee Park shot a 4-under 67 to move past Carlota Ciganda in the final round to win the inaugural LPGA North Texas Shootout by a stroke at Las Colinas Country Club on Sunday.

Ciganda, the leader to begin the day and searching for her first career win, led Park by two strokes after 10 holes Sunday and still led by a stroke until the par-4 15th. Ciganda's second shot bounced off the right side of the green and into the water to open the door for Park. Ciganda had to settle for a double bogey 6, giving the lead to Park, who recorded a par.

Park finished with a bogey-free round to win her third tournament of the year.

"Today, coming into the final round, I was two shots back, and I didn't really think about winning so much," Park said. "The front nine I was given a lot of birdie chances out there, and nothing seemed to be going in, so I was a little bit frustrated."

Park and Ciganda each hit toward the green on their second shots at the par-5 18th with Park leading by a stroke. Ciganda's ran beyond the green while Park was just short, but closer to the pin. Park would match Ciganda's birdie with a 4-foot putt to claim the championship. Ciganda finished with a 1-under 70 in her final round.

"Overall, I'm happy," Ciganda said. "I played under par but it was a shame on the 14th and 15th holes. I think I played good golf on the week. I played great yesterday but Inbee played awesome golf. That's why she is the No.1 player in the world."

Park's day opened with a birdie on the par-4 first before adding another on the eighth. She began the back nine with a birdie on the 10th and then cruised through the remaining holes mistake-free.

"I was just trying to be really patient out there, and finally a couple dropped for me at the end," Park said.

Ciganda had a chance to get a shot back on a birdie attempt on the 16th with a 15-foot putt. Her fast-paced strike went just inside the left lip of the hole but rolled out.

Suzann Pettersen made the biggest charge in the final round. Pettersen entered the day tied for ninth at 5-under but a she finished at 10-under overall after at 66 in the final round.

Pettersen's day began with three consecutive birdies on the second, third and fourth holes before adding another on the seventh. Pettersen gave a shot back on the par-3 11th with a bogey but rallied to close with a birdie on holes 15 and 18.

"I got off to a pretty good star," Pettersen said. "I played very good. Made one bogey, hit maybe the wrong club on the par-3 and just didn't hit a good bunker shot. After two days I thought 10-under would be a pretty good job, and I got to the number, but knowing that I maybe left a few out there in early rounds."

Hee Young Park made a run of her own to move into the top five of the North Texas Shootout.

H.Y. Park posted a 3-under front nine with birdies on the fourth and seventh before dropping three consecutive birdies from the ninth to the 11th. Park continued her run with back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16 to close out with a 7-under 64 and finish 9-under overall and in sole possession of fourth.

Caroline Masson continued to struggle in the fourth round. The first- and second-round leader had trouble with the opening hole for the second day in a row. After posting a double bogey on the first on Saturday, the German opened her final round with a bogey.

Masson bogeyed the 11th before her second double bogey of the tournament on 12. Masson closed with back-to-back bogeys on the 16th and 17th for a 4-over 75 final round. She finished 5-under and a tie for 15th.

Notes: Jee Young Lee entered the final hole in a tie for 15th. However, after hitting her drive out of bounds twice, Lee finished with a 10 to drop back to even overall... Inbee Park's first-place finish marked her fourth top-10 showing in 2013, and her third win of the year... Hee Young Park shot a day-best 7-under 64 to finish in a tie for fourth with So Yeon Ryu.