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Kim wins third China Ladies Golf Open crown

Xinhua, December 18, 2016 Adjust font size:

Kim Hyo-joo captured her third Hyundai China Ladies Golf Open title on Sunday when the South Korean closed with a 67 to win the national championship by two strokes in Guangdong province.

The 21-year-old won her 15th professional title with a score of six-under 210 at Lion Lake Country Club in the season-ending event of the China LPGA Tour, a 550,000 U.S dollars co-sanctioned tournament with the LPGA Tour of South Korea.

World No. 7 Jang Ha-na, the 2013 winner, shot 68 to finish equal second with her South Korean compatriot Lim Eun-bin (68), while China No. 1 Feng Shanshan was three shots off the pace in fourth after a 69.

Playing under sunny and calm conditions, Kim, who won the championship in 2012 and 2014, carded a bogey-free round featuring five birdies to earn 110,000 U.S dollars. It was the 11th consecutive year that a South Korean had won the tournament.

"I' m happy and lucky to be the first one to win three times here. A hat-trick is a great honor. I won five times in China (including two Kumho Tire Ladies Open titles). I feel more and more comfortable here, no barriers between me and the Chinese people. It' s just like home," said the Wonju native.

Feng, the first-round leader, got her game going with three birdies over the final six holes to stay close.

"I put forth my best efforts, but it is not enough. I played great, except the middle part of the round," said the Guangzhou native who had won three times in her previous four starts coming into this week' s tournament.

"I didn' t think that a Chinese player couldn' t win this trophy. You know, I have played great around the world. I' m No. 4 and just behind one South Korean player (Chun In-gee) in the world ranking. Younger Chinese players are emerging, give us some time. I think the day is coming, maybe next year."

Lion Lake Country Club is a 27-hole layout designed by Rick Jacobson. The 11th Hyundai China Ladies Open, December 16-18, is being contested over the par-72, 6,333-yard Moon layout. Endit