Ha Na Jang – file photo- photo Bruce Young
Su Oh and Minjee Lee both finished inside the top twenty at the BMW Ladies Championship in Busan in Korea but, given the hot nature of the scoring on day four, neither was able to get anywhere near the playoff for the title won by Ha Na Jang.
Jang, who won the 2017 Australian Women’s Open Championship in Adelaide, defeated last week’s winner, Danielle Kang, in a playoff, the title decided when Jang holed a five-foot birdie putt at the 3rd extra playoff hole to win her 3rd LPGA Tour title.
Oh was nicely placed heading into the final round just two shots from the lead but she was on the back foot early with early bogeys and when she dropped three shots early in her back nine her challenge was gone.
Oh, who had been chasing her first LPGA Tour title, eventually finished 13th, while fellow Australians Minjee Lee was 16th and Hannah Green 38th.
New Zealander Lydia Ko was 21st.
Jang played her last 14 holes in 7 under including an eagle at the 12th to grab a share of the lead with Kang who had birdied eight of her first 14 holes to set up the chance of back to back wins after winning in Shanghai last week.
Jang has struggled with an injured ankle of late but she was able to win despite all, although her ankle continues to bother her.
Amy Yang finished on her own in 3rd place, three shots from the playoff.
Ten of the first 12 players in the final line-up were Korean golfers.
“First of all, my ankle is not so good at the moment, and perhaps because I have been playing with my ankle not being so well, I was able to manage today,” said Jang. “Next week, I’m not going to be playing.”
Jang has lost her status on the LPGA Tour but she has done well on the KLPGA Tour in 2019 winning recently and being twice runner-up. The win this week should take her to the top of the KLPGA Tour’s money list.
“As for going back to the LPGA, there’s a lot to discuss. My mother is not quite well yet. I think I would have an answer for you regarding returning to the LPGA later on. I can’t say right now.
“As far Danielle, she’s a really good friend but out on the course, we’re really good rivals. She’s really good competition, and we’ve had this relationship for 15 years. I don’t really feel sorry for her. I’m just really happy that we managed to make a really good memory on this course.
The LPGA Tour now moves to Taiwan for the Swinging Skirts LPGA event in Taipei.
