WORLD No. 35 Lee Jung-min of South Korea stormed to her eighth career title with a one stroke victory over compatriots Lee Seung-hyun, Kim Bo-kyung and Ji Han-sol in the World Ladies Championship at Mission Hills Resort Dongguan yesterday.

    Despite dropping two strokes in the last three holes, eight birdies in a final round 66 was just enough for Lee to hold on as her closest challengers all blew their chances in damp and testing conditions on the Olazabal Course.

    It was a nerve biting finish as the clubhouse leader Lee dropped into a three-way share of the lead with namesake Lee and Ji at nine-under-par after making bogey on the final hole. She then watched as Lee then made the same mistake.

    After Kim ended on eight under par, Ji needed to birdie the difficult par-4 18th to tie. Although she hit an excellent approach shot that just edged the hole, she pushed her birdie putt of 12 feet wide of the hole, meaning that Lee could take home the individual title and US$105,000 in prize money.

    There was double cause for celebration as Lee also won the concurrent team competition with partner Ko Jin-young. An aggregate score of 12-under-par put the South Korean pair 15 strokes ahead of the French duo Gwladys Nocera and Celine Herbin, with Chinese Taipei duo Lin Tzi-chi and Kuo Ai-chen five strokes further behind in third.

    Another South Korean player, Oh Ji-hyun, finished outright fifth on seven-under-par, while China’s Liu Yu and Chamchoi Saraporn of Thailand tied for sixth place.

    South Korean Lee Min-young was eighth on four-under-par, while Becky Morgan of Wales shared ninth on three-under with South Koreans Ko, Jung Hee-won and Cho Jeong-min. China’s Man Jin was the only amateur to make the cut and ended in equal 19th place.

    (SD-Agencies)