Park In-bee becomes LPGA money leader after runner-up finish

Park In-bee tees off on the second hole during the third round of the Volunteers of America Classic at the Old American Golf Club in The Colony, Texas, on Saturday. [AFP/YONHAP]

Korean LPGA Hall of Famer Park In-bee has regained her lead on the tour's money list following a runner-up finish on the weekend.

Park ended in a three-way tie for second at the Volunteers of America Classic in The Colony, Texas, on Sunday. She began the final round at the Old American Golf Club tied for the lead with fellow Korean Ryu So-yeon and Korean-American Yealimi Noh at four-under. All three of them shot one-under 70 in the final round to end at five-under 279, and American veteran Angela Stanford leapfrogged them all to the title with a 67 on Sunday and a seven-under 277 total.

Though Park came up short of her second win of the season and 21st of her career, she picked up $120,709 to reach the tour-best $1,187,229. Another Korean star, Kim Sei-young, is now in second place with $1,133,219 after not playing at the Volunteers of America Classic. Park previously led the tour in money in 2012 and 2013.

Park has also narrowed the gap on Kim in the Player of the Year points standings. Kim is still at the top with 106 points, but Park has moved to 102 points with two tournaments left. Park was the Player of the Year in 2013.

Players are awarded points for a top-10 finish, with a regular tournament win worth 30 points and a major title worth 60 points. The season's final major, the U.S. Women's Open, is scheduled to begin Thursday in Houston, Texas, and the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship is set for the following week in Naples, Florida.

Park, who played for the first time since October, said she was happy with her performance in Texas, especially with three under-par rounds out of four days in cold conditions.

Park also said battling the elements should set her up well for the U.S. Women's Open in the same state of Texas.

"I think it's going to be a little bit [of] similar conditions with a little bit of wind and probably a little bit chilly weather," Park said. "I think [it was a] good practice week this week, so [I am] looking forward to next week.”

Yonhap