Lang Gets First LPGA Tour Victory


For the third straight time in a sudden-death playoff, Brittany Lang birdied the par-5 18th at Grey Silo Golf Course in Waterloo, Ontario, to win the inaugural Manulife Financial LPGA Classic.

The victory, worth $195,000, was Lang's first after 144 starts on the LPGA Tour. She was also the first LPGA winner from her alma mater, Duke University. "I can't believe it to be the first Duke player to win," she said at greenside. "I'm very thankful."

Lang played steadily during her four-birdie, 4-under 67 in the final round. She ended up tied for first after 72 holes at 16-under 268 with South Koreans Hee Kyung Seo (67), 54-hole leader Inbee Park (69) and Chella Choi (63).

Lang could have had an outright victory, but missed a short birdie try on the 18th hole in regulation. But the 26-year-old Virginian atoned for that slip by sinking the winning birdie putt to beat Seo's par.

Choi was eliminated with a par the first time up the 18th, and Park was gone next, also with a par to Seo and Lang's birdies. Choi, Park and Seo each earned $90,231 for finishing tied for second.

American Stacy Lewis closed with a 64 to end up sharing fifth at 269 with So Yeon Ryu, who also shot 64.

2012 LPGA Championship winner Shanshan Feng of China had another nice outing, closing with a 66 to tie for seventh with Sweden's Anna Nordqvist at 270.

After making the cut, Michelle Wie posted rounds of 73 and 74 over the weekend to fall into a tie for 68th at 3-over 287.

For all the scores, visit http://www.lpgascoring.com/public/Leaderboard.aspx.