Hee Young Park Wins Canadian LPGA Tournament in Playoff


It took three playoff holes, but South Korea's Hee Young Park birdied the par-5 18th hole at Grey Silo Golf Course in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, to vanquish Angela Stanford and win the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic.

Park and Stanford shot a 6-under 65 and a 64, respectively, to end up tied in regulation at 26-under 258. After carding only one birdie on the front nine, the 26-year-old Park recorded five birdies on the back nine - including the 18th - to tie Stanford, who had seven birdies Sunday.

The two players each birdied the par-5 18th the first two times down, with Park's third - and fourth overall Sunday - leading to her second victory on the LPGA Tour. The latest win was worth $195,000.

Ending up in solo third at 23-under 261 was Scotland's Catriona Matthew, who led through two rounds and closed with a 66. Another three strokes back was South Korean Meena Lee (68).

France's Karine Icher (63) was in fifth at 265, while another shot back were South Koreans Haeji Kang and Na Yeon Choi - who each matched Sunday's low round of 9-under 62, Americans Stacy Lewis (64), Austin Ernst (67) and Gerina Piller (67), Norway's Suzann Pettersen (66), and South Korea's Amy Yang (67).

No. 1-ranked Inbee Park closed with a 68 to tie for 14th at 268. Park (no relation to Hee Young) was seeking to become the first golfer to win four straight LPGA tournaments since Lorena Ochoa in 2008. Nancy Lopez (1978) shares the all-time Tour record of five consecutive victories with Sweden's Annika Sorenstam (2004-05).

For all the scores, visit www.lpga.com.