Lydia Ko of New Zealand watches her drive on the second hole during the final round of the Marathon Classic presented by Owens Corning and O-I at Highland Meadows Golf Club.
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The top-ranked Ko made a 10-foot birdie putt on the fourth extra hole after Jutanugarn and Lee ran into trouble on the par-5 18th.
World No 1 Lydia Ko holds her nerve to win the Marathon Classic in a four-hole, three-way playoff.
For three consecutive holes, the trio shot par, missing a succession of mid-length birdie putts which would have secured victory. Jutanugarn had a good chance on the second playoff hole, but missed an 8-footer. “My putting’s better and I can make a lot of birdies putts”. A bogey at 11 was followed by birdies at 14 and 17, and she birdied three holes on her inward run.
“I think she’s fearless”, said Sandra Gal, a tour veteran who on Thursday played in a group with Henderson and last week’s U.S. Women’s Open runner-up, Anna Lundqvist.
Jutanugarn birdied the final three holes for a 66. ‘Maybe I’m going to win.’ And it slipped by.
But the South Korean-born Kiwi sounded philosophical about her inability to close out what could have been a third major victory in four starts.
“I missed those two cuts, consecutive two cuts back in MI and Arkansas”, said Shon. She ended the day in an eight-way tie for 11th at 7-under.
Ko and Alison Lee lead the list of challengers on 12 under, with Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn and Stacey Lewis a further shot back.
Coming off winning the U.S. Women’s Open this past week, Duke two-time All-America Brittany Lang is tied 16th with a three-under, 139. But it was just slipping slightly more and more away through the back nine and I though hopefully it’s not what happened a few weeks ago.
A hole-in-one at the par-three 17th keyed Jhonattan Vegas’s scintillating round of 60 in the US PGA Tour Barbasol Championship in Auburn, Alabama, on Friday.
Flores had two birdies and an eagle on the front nine.
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Mirim Lee had a 70 to drop into a tie for fifth at 6 under.
