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Park blows lead, places 2nd again

In the final round of the Wachovia LPGA Classic yesterday, Grace Park finished second to Lorena Ochoa of Mexico, who won her second title this year by two strokes.
The tournament was held at the Berkleigh Country Club in Kutztown, Pennsylvania.
Park, who held the top position until the third round, finished the day at par ― three birdies and three bogies ― and was all alone at second place overall 17 strokes under par.
It was Park’s fourth second-place finish on the LPGA tour this year. She was also second at the Welch’s/Fry’s Championship in March, the Chick-Fil-A Charity Championship in April and the Sybase Classic in May.
Park was heading into the final round five shots ahead of Ochoa, setting a 54-hole record for the course in the process, with a 17-under 199.
As the final round began Park looked to have put the final result beyond doubt, as she birdied the seventh hole and looked set to do the same on the ninth hole. But Park ended up double bogeying there and followed that up with a bogey on the 10th as well.
The turning point came on the 13th hole, when Park failed to sink a 60-centimeter putt for par. Meanwhile, Ochoa, who chalked up a seven-under-par for the day, capped a dramatic comeback by making seven birdies in a row. She sealed victory with a birdie on the last hole, to finish 19-under-par overall.
“I don’t think I have ever played a final round this bad with the lead going into the final round,” Park said.
“I can’t be more disappointed at myself. I made absurd mistakes a few times and couldn’t even control my putt,” added Park.
Han Hee-won finished in a tie for third place at 15-under. Kim Cho-rong and Ahn Shi-hyun ended up tied for sixth at 13-under.
Kang Soo-yun and Yang Young-a finished with a tie for 10th place with 12-under.
After the dust had settled, six South Koreans finished in the top 10 at this tournament.

by Chung Jeh-won