Park Edges Lincicome at LPGA Championship


South Korea's Inbee Park closed with a 2-under 70 to tie Brittany Lincicome after 72 holes of regulation , then beat the 28-year-old Floridian with a four on the par-4 18th hole at Monroe Golf Club in in Pittsford, N.Y., to win the LPGA Championship.

Lincicome, who entered the final round with a one-stroke lead over Park and Norway's Suzann Pettersen, carded four birdies and three bogeys Sunday, while the 26-year-old Park closed with three birdies and a bogey to match Lincicome at 11-under 277.

Lincicome could have won her first major title in regulation, but bogeyed the 18th. On the playoff hole, after she chipped out of the rough after a wayward approach, she missed a 6-footer for par that would have forced another hole. Park made a three-footer for par and the victory.

Park successfully defended her title in the LPGA Championship, forging her fifth career major and the fourth in the past two years. The latest major was worth $337,500, while Lincicome settled for $207,791.

New Zealand teenager Lydia Ko posted a 70 to end up in solo third at 8-under 280, while two strokes further back were Spaniard Azahara Munoz (70) and Sweden's Anna Nordqvist (71).

No. 1-ranked Stacy Lewis recorded a 70 to end up sharing sixth at 5-under with Uruguay's Julieta Granada (71), China's Shanshan Feng (72), South Korea's Mirim Lee (74) and Pettersen, who had a disappointing 76.

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