Inbee back in the winner's circle already after stunning 64
Inbee Park, in just her second start since winning the gold medal in Rio, had a putting day to remember as a closing 64 gave her a one-shot win over Ariya Jutanugarn.
Park struggled with a thumb injury last year but is now back and her renowned brilliant putting was on show in Singapore as she rolled in eight birdies in 10 holes in the middle of her round. She also missed just one green after hitting every fairway.
Thailand’s Jutanugarn shot a 66 herself, her fourth round in the 60s but it wasn’t quite enough. Park’s namesake and compatriot Sung Hyun Park finished third to get her rookie season off to a flyer.
Michelle Wie began the final day with a two-shot lead and birdied 3 and 4 but she then missed not one but two short putts at the 5th for a seven. But her level-par 72 was still good enough for a share of fourth and her best finish since 2014.
“I can’t complain, but right now it stings a little bit. I played hard. Just a couple of putts didn’t drop in and I just missed a couple. Just that one hole I missed two short ones,” said Wie.
Red hot putter from @InbeePark! ?
Watch highlights from her final round at #HSBCWomensChamps pic.twitter.com/MrF7vaC6uw
— LPGA (@LPGA) March 5, 2017
But the day belonged to a rejuvenated Park and her incredible putter.
”My putting was amazing, obviously,” she said. ”I couldn’t make any putts on Saturday and obviously I made up for it.
”Pretty much everything I looked at, it wanted to drop in. It was very consistent ball-striking all week, and obviously there is a lot of birdie opportunities out there and I was able to convert the birdies. This was one of my best putting days – I was just in that zone.”
World No 1 Lydia Ko went into Sunday with a good shout but could only muster a 72 to finish T9 while Charley Hull had an impressive week, finishing 12th after closing with a 68.
