Nikki Campbell narrowly misses playoff at Japan Women's Open
BY Bruce Young | Japan Ladies Tour | 2003 Japan Women's Open Golf Championship | Wrap | 05 Oct 2003
Canberra golfer and Japan LPGA rookie Nikki Campbell has finished just one shot out of the playoff for first place at the ¥70,000,000 Japan Women’s Open at the Chiba Golf Club’s Noda course near Tokyo.
Campbell who started the final round three shots behind the leader Michiko Hattori fired a final round one under par 70 to narrowly miss the chance of her first win in Japan.
The 2002 Australian Amateur Champion has had a fine first year on the lucrative Japan LPGA Tour having gained access there via the Q school last year.
It was Campbell’s third round of 67 that set up her fine finish. It was the best round of the tournament by two shots and moved her from 32nd to 5th before entering the final round.
Following an opening bogey today, Campbell produced three consecutive birdies although bogeys at ten and eleven seemed to have ruined her chance of victory. She then steadied until a bogey at seventeen appeared costly, but a birdie at the last saw her in the clubhouse at even par and at that stage sharing the lead. With the leaders faltering behind there was still an outside chance of a playoff for her.
Both Hattori and would birdie the last however to finish one ahead of Campbell with Hattori going on to win over Korean Ji-Hee Lee in the playoff. Campbell will earn close to $A55,000. Other Australians in the field were Rebecca Coakley who closed in equal 30th with Tamara Johns close behind in 42nd place.
It was Hattori’s second win of the year and the second Japan Women’s Open win having won the event in 1994.
The Japan Ladies Tour now heads to the Sankyo Ladies Open.
