Eun Hee Ji wins US Women's Open
BY Bruce Young | LPGA Tour | 2009 US Women's Open | Round Four | 13 Jul 2009
Eun Hee Ji recovered from a horror start to her final round to record three late birdies and win the US Women’s Open at Saucon Valley. The South Korean is in her second fully exempt season on the LPGA Tour and has just the one previous Tour victory at the 2008 Wegmans LPGA event.
The 23-year-old trailed her playing partner and overnight leader, Cristie Kerr, by two heading into the final day but when she double bogeyed the 10th to fall to three over for the day, her chances appeared to have gone. She responded in outstanding fashion with birdies at the 13th, 14th and very importantly at the 18th where her birdie at the par four saw her edge clear of Candie Kung, who had finished 20 minutes earlier.
Kerr, who won this event in 2007 and is a renowned big event player, surprisingly struggled on the final day recording a round of 77 to finish in a share of 3rd position with the in-form In Kyung Kim, who bogeyed her final hole to cost herself any chance of victory. Kerr moves to second position on the money list with earnings of US$1,040,959, US$37,000 behind Ji Yai Shin.
Kim had recovered from a double bogey at the 8th and appeared a possible winner when she birdied the 16th to move to 2 under for the day and just one over for the tournament. The bogey at the last proved costly but the US$183,500 she earns moves her to third position on the money list.
The best of the Australian players was Lindsey Wright who finish 17th, her third round of 77 proving costly after what had been an encouraging start.
Karrie Webb was the only other Australian to make the cut finishing 34th.
The LPGA Tour will now move to Europe for the Evian Masters in France starting on July 23rd.
