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South Korea's Jeong Jang
led from start to finish at Royal Birkdale to win the Women's British
Open by four shots. |
South Korea's Jeong Jang led from start to finish at Royal Birkdale to
win the Women's British Open by four shots.
A final round of 69 gave her a sixteen-under-par total with Sophie
Gustafson second, and Michelle Wie and Young Kim tied in third two shots
back.
World number one Annika Sorenstam had been expected
to put pressure on Jang but a double-bogey
at the last summed up a disappointing day for the
Swede.
Defending champion Karen Stupples came joint 11th on seven under par.
The richly-deserved victory was the first of the 25-year-old Jang's
professional career. The Korean was the only player to beat 70 for all
four rounds.
"I feel very proud because there were a lot of good players out there,"
she said.
Gustafson, the winner in 2000, carded a final round of 67, two shots
better than Jang, but the Swede was too far back coming into Sunday's
final round to put the Korean under any real pressure.
Sorenstam, who was tied in second place overnight,
had to settle for a share of fifth place after losing her ball with a
wayward
drive up the
18th.
Wie, 15, shared third, and afterwards refused to be drawn on the
rumours suggesting she is about to turn professional.
"It was awesome playing in Britain," said the teenage sensation.
"But I'm not sure about being a professional next year. I have to be
ready for it so I don't know when."
Stupples, who won at Sunningdale last year, finished one shot ahead of
Welsh star Becky Morgan and three ahead of Scotland's Catriona Matthew.
(BBC) |