Ryu Squeaks Past Park to Win World Ladies Championship


So Yeon Ryu closed with a 4-under 69 to edge fellow South Korean Inbee Park and win the World Ladies Championship. The Ladies European Tour event took place on the par-73 Blackstone Course at Mission Hills in Hainan, China.

The 24-year-old Ryu posted seven birdies, a bogey and a double-bogey to finish at 13-under 279, just ahead of third-round leader Park, who posted a 71 Sunday.

"I didn't expect that I had a chance to win this tournament, because in the second and first rounds, I didn't play really well," Ryu said. "Fortunately I was able to shoot 8-under in the third round so after that I was in contention.

"I'm really proud of myself, because it's good to be back in contention and our group was exciting, with Inbee and Suzann (Pettersen). It was good to play with Inbee, my best friend on the tour. She is not No. 1 right now, but I believe she is the true No. 1, so it was great to compete with her."

Added Ryu, the 2011 U.S. Women's Open champion ,"I missed quite a few birdie putts but Inbee wasn't able to make a lot and the pressure was a little less, which was helpful. The winning putt, no matter how long it is, is always nervous. My hands were literally shaking."

Park praised her friend and teammate, Ryu. "It was a consistent day today, but my putts wouldn't drop into the hole," said Park, the No. 2-ranked player in the Rolex Ranking behind Lydia Ko.

"It was really just the putting that was the only problem and So Yeon played well. Even with the double-bogey, she played really well and I'm really happy for her. If I didn't win, I kind of hoped that she would win, so it's kind of good that my best friend won the tournament and I'm ready to congratulate her."

Pettersen and China's Xiyu Lin carded 70s to share third at 10-under 282, with Finland's Ursula Wikstrom (69) in fifth, a stroke further back.

Pettersen, a 14-time winner on the LPGA Tour with seven LET titles, was pleased with her play this week. "My game is slowly getting there. A few silly mistakes is costing too much in competition with these girls, but overall, it's been a good week and tremendous to be back here at Mission Hills."

The tournament had a team component as well and, for the second consecutive year, South Koreans Ryu and Park ran away with that part of the competition. Their aggregate total of 559 was 15 strokes ahead of Norwegians Marianne Skarpnord and Pettersen.

Chinese teenager Ye Lei finished at 13-over 305 to take home amateur-medalist honors. The 13-year-old, who attends international school in Shanghai, said of the tournament, in which she shot rounds of 72, 78, 79 and 76, "I played really well the first day and that gave me more room to make the cut. I've noticed from playing in professional tournaments that putting is my weakness. I hope to improve and turn professional someday."

For complete scoring, visit http://ladieseuropeantour.com/tournament/world-ladies-championship/#results.