Park Gets Three-Peat at Women's PGA Championship Title


Inbee Park couldn't be caught Sunday. The 26-year-old from Seoul carded a 5-under 68 at Westchester Country Club in New York to finish at 19-under 273, five strokes ahead of fellow South Korean Sei Young Kim (71) to win the Women's PGA Championship.

Park began Sunday two shots ahead of Kim, who had defeated Park in the Lotte Championship in April after dramatically holing out from 154 yards for an eagle on the first playoff hole. Park eliminated any chance of that happening again by recording a flawless five-birdie final round.

The victory was Park's third straight in what was formerly called the LPGA Championship until it was renamed following a co-sponsorship arrangement with KPMG and the PGA of America. She joined Annika Sorenstam and Patty Berg - World Golf Hall of Fame members both - as a three-time winner of the major on the LPGA Tour.

"It feels amazing. It feels amazing to win three times in a row," Park said. "Obviously putting my name alongside like Annika Sorenstam or Patty Berg, legends of golf, just being a part of history of this golf tournament, I feel extremely honored, and I can't believe that I just did it. I mean, it has not really sunk down yet.

"It will probably after I sleep tonight. But yeah, this is really a great accomplishment in my career, and obviously there's a lot more things to do from now on but this is definitely one of the greatest accomplishments I've ever had."

Park, now a 15-time winner, said the revamped event took on new meaning for her. "This definitely really elevated our major championship for sure. This tournament's been really a true major golf tournament for us, for the LPGA. The golf setup, the venue, everything, the facility, the fans, everything has just been phenomenal for us. I just want to mention one thing.

"When I was a junior, I played in their Junior PGA Championship when I won twice, and it was -- we usually just play in the junior tournaments. And the setup they did, The PGA of America did was quite different. As a junior, we get like free drinks, we get free food, we get like big scoreboards, big stands. It was just so cool for us to play in that event.

"Winning that event was obviously really special for me and that really inspired me into the game. Obviously now winning another PGA of America tournament is such an honor for me."

Kim closed with a 71 to end up at 278, while another two strokes back was American Lexi Thompson, who closed with a stellar 66. Brittany Lincicome had a 68 to take fourth at 281, and sharing fifth at 282 were Morgan Pressel (70) and Canadian teenager Brooke Henderson (71).

Suzann Pettersen of Norway and Australia's Karrie Webb each closed with 72s to tie for seventh at 283, and another stroke back in ninth were American Gerina Piller, Sweden's Anna Nordqvist and South Korean Hyo Joo Kim.

For complete scoring, visit http://www.lpga.com/tournaments/kpmgwomenspgachampionship/results.