Ji captures first LPGA win at Wegmans
PITTSFORD, NEW YORK (TICKER) —Eun-Hee Ji looked more like the veteran with a title on the line.
Ji captured her first career title on the LPGA Tour at the $2 million Wegmans on Sunday, carding a 5-under-par 67 to edge Suzann Pettersen.
A native of South Korea, Ji fired seven birdies and two bogeys en route to finishing the tournament at 16-under 272, two strokes ahead of Pettersen.
Ji became the second South Korean to win in the United State this season along with Seon Hwa Lee, who won the Ginn Tribute.
“I’m like a fly in the sky,” Ji said through a translator. “I cannot describe what I feel right now.”
With the victory here, Ji automatic qualified for the $1 million ADT Championship in November.
“(The) LPGA is the biggest stage for female golfers in the world but ADT playoff is the bigger stage for female golfers and I am very, very excited to play in ADT Championship,” Ji said.
Pettersen came into the final round with a three-shot lead, but was overtaken by the 22-year-old Ji down the stretch to remain without a title this season.
“Of course, I’m disappointed, but at the same time I can’t let myself down at the moment,” Pettersen said. “I just got to try to stay where I am and next time try to finish it off.”
While world No. 3 Pettersen had three bogeys over her final six holes to finish at even-par 72, Ji came on with four birdies on the back nine, and nearly ended with another after a long putt on the 18th.
“Actually, I feel comfortable (about) coming (from) behind rather than leading the tournament,” Ji said. “I thought if I chase her, I thought Suzann would feel pressure.”
Pettersen still was one shot ahead with four holes to play, but the short 15th proved to be the turning point as Ji made a birdie and the native of Norway missed the green on the way to a four for a two-shot swing.
“Yes, that’s a two-shot swing,” Pettersen said. “I had a chance on 16. And I just had a horrible lie on 18 in the rough there. I don’t know. I just try to get something up there and hopefully would hit the green. Well, on this course you got to hit fairways. Especially how the course is set up.”
While the breakthrough win was “a dream come true” for Ji, Pettersen, who won the Swiss Open last month, also put a positive slant on her second place in the final tournament before the third major of the season, the U.S. Women’s Open, starting at Interlachen Country Club in Minnesota on Thursday.
“I was working on a few swing things last week and didn’t really expect too much this week,” said the 27-year-old, who also finished second in the first major of the season, the Kraft Nabisco Championship. “It’s good to have come out and played well before the U.S. Open.”
Jeong Jang (68) and Hee-Won Han (69) finished in a tie for third at 12-under 276. Cristie Kerr was another shot back for fifth after a closing-round 69.
The defending champion, world No. 1 Lorena Ochoa never really threatened for a seventh win of the season, but four birdies in the final seven holes secured a 69 and the 9-under total enabled her to finish in a tie for seventh. She has only finished outside the top 10 once in 11 starts this year.
Michelle Wie, who tied for sixth in last month’s German Open on the Ladies’ European Tour, had her best round of the tournament and placed in a tie for 24th after a 69.
The Hawaiian 18-year-old has qualified for a sixth successive U.S. Women’s Open - and this was her best result on the LPGA Tour since she broke her wrist at the start of last year.
