Hana Bank KOLON Championship 2009 SKY 72 Golf Club, Ocean Course Incheon, South Korea November 1, 2009
Final-round Interviews: Na Yeon Choi
Final-round Notes
Choi wins Hana Bank KOLON Championship 2009 South Korean player becomes two-time Tour winner
INCHEON, South Korea, Nov. 1, 2009 - Just when everyone thought the Hana Bank KOLON Championship 2009 would need to go to a playoff to decide the winner, second-year LPGA Tour player Na Yeon Choi birdied the 72nd hole of regulation and was crowned the champion. The South Korean native was 5-under-par for the final round, and that turned out to be just good enough to beat a surging Yani Tseng and Maria Hjorth. With the win, Choi cashed in the $255,000 winner's check.
Choi (68-71-67=206) was bogey-free on Sunday and recorded five birdies on holes one, five, seven, 15 and 18, for an overall winning score of 10-under-par. Dropping in and out of the lead for much of the day, Choi survived blistering cold temperatures to earn her first win in her home country of South Korea on the LPGA Tour and in front of all her fans.
"It has been two years since I have won here in Korea," said Choi. "My parents weren't there then, but they were here this week, and that is really special. I was really surprised on how big the galleries were today. I felt bad for the other players, because the fans were cheering only for me."
The 22-year-old is now a two-time winner on the LPGA Tour, earning both victories this year. Earlier this year, Choi became a Rolex First-Time Winner at the Samsung World Championship. In addition to the pair of victories, Choi has eight other top-10 finishes in 2009, including two third-place marks, which came at the SBS Open at Turtle Bay and the Corona Championship.
This week's win makes Choi the third player to have won multiple official tournaments on the LPGA Tour schedule in 2009. World number one Lorena Ochoa won the Honda LPGA Thailand, Corona Championship and Navistar LPGA Classic Presented by Manaco R.V.; rookie Jiyai Shin won the HSBC Women's Champions, Wegmans LPGA and the P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship Presented by John Q. Hammons.
"I have learned a lot this past year and a half on the LPGA Tour," said Choi. "It is great to win two tournaments in one year, and it just feels really good right now. I feel that I can win again, and I am very confident right now."
The two players who tied for runner-up honors this week came up just short of forcing a sudden-death playoff at SKY 72 Golf Club's Ocean Course. Three-time LPGA Tour winner Hjorth (68-72-67) and 2008 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Tseng (69-70-68) both finished one stroke shy of Choi at 9-under-par 207.
After the opening round of the Hana Bank KOLON Championship 2009, Hjorth was two strokes off the lead score, and once the second round was complete, the Swede found herself just one stroke off the pace. Trading the top position on the leaderboard throughout Sunday's final round with Choi and Tseng, Hjorth settled for par on her final hole, while Choi made birdie to seal the deal.
The Taiwanese player, Tseng, is also a two-time LPGA Tour winner, capturing the 2008 McDonald's LPGA Championship Presented by Coca-Cola and this year's LPGA Corning Classic. Tseng has now finished in the runner-up spot three times in 2009, and eight times in her two-year career.
Lang lone American in top-10. Fourth-year LPGA Tour player Brittany Lang finished in a four-way tie for seventh at the Hana Bank KOLON Championship 2009, and is the only American player to end up in the top-10. Lang (73-73-68=214, -2) has now finished in the top-10 five times in 2009, and 22 times in her LPGA Tour career. Still looking for her first career victory, Lang tied her career-best second-place at this year's Navistar LPGA Classic Presented by Monaco R.V. In 2008, she set her career-best mark at the Sybase Classic Presented by ShopRite, then tied it at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational by Banamex and Corona Light. Lang made her first appearance earlier this year on the U.S. Solheim Cup Team, where she helped lead her squad to victory over Team Europe.
Hall of Famers finish strong.Despite playing in frigid temperatures and blustery winds, Juli Inkster and Se Ri Pak, both members of the LPGA Tour and World Golf Halls of Fame, finish strong to stay towards the top. Inkster finished at 3-under-par on Sunday at the Hana Bank KOLON Championship 2009, and 1-under-par 215 (70-76-69) overall to end up in a four-way tie for 11th. The other hall of famer in the field this week, South Korean native Pak (70-72-72=214), earned herself a tied for seventh showing at 2-under-par.
Final-round Interviews: Na Yeon Choi
Na Yeon Choi, 68-71-67=206, -10
Q. Na Yeon, congratulations on winning the Hana Bank KOLON Championship 2009. How are you feeling right now? NA YEON CHOI: I feel very proud right now for winning on my home soil. After I won for the first time at the Samsung World Championship, this second win feels so good right now. I have felt like I can do it again, and I have a lot of confidence right now.
Q. You won for the first time on the LPGA Tour earlier this year. Now you are a two-time winner, so how does that feel? NA YEON CHOI: I have learned a lot in this past year and a half since I have been on the LPGA Tour. It was really great to win two tournaments in one year, and it feels really good right now. It felt really good to win the Samsung World Championship, and now to win here, it is very nice. I feel like I can win again, and I am very confident.
Q. What was it like playing in front of all your fans this week in Korea? NA YEON CHOI: It has been two years since I have won here in Korea, and then I didn't have my parents there to see me. But, here my parents are here, and it is really special. I was really surprised at how big the galleries were today. I felt bad for the other players, because all the fans were cheering only for me today.
Q. Are you ready for Japan's Mizuno Classic? How can you continue this momentum? NA YEON CHOI: Well, I didn't really think that I would win here in Korea this week. I just take one shot at a time, and I don't know what will happen in Japan next week. I always just try to play my best, and so we will just have to see what happens next.
Credit : lpga.com
News
Choi picks up 2nd win at Hana Bank KOLON
INCHEON, South Korea (AP) Na Yeon Choi made birdie at the last hole for a 5-under 67 on Sunday, giving her a one-shot victory over Maria Hjorth and Yani Tseng at the Hana Bank KOLON Championships.
Choi and Hjorth played in the same group and were tied heading to 18, where they both hit nice tee shots to the left side of the fairway. Hjorth hit a 4-iron into a water hazzard, while Choi laid up in front of the green.
The Swede manage to save par, while Choi chipped within inches for the tap-in birdie.
She finished at 10-under 278 at Sky 72 Golf Club's Ocean Course, where the LPGA was making its annual tour stop in South Korea. Choi won the Samsung World Championships in September in similar fashion, with an eagle at the par-5 last hole.
Sumsung World Championship : ในที่สุด Choi ก็ทำได้ เย้ !!!
: )
แชมป์แรกใน LPGA
Choi ยิ้มแฉ่งเยย
Jiyai Shin แสดงความยินดีกับ Choi
เพื่อนๆ ร่วมกันรุมแสดงความยินดี
ภาพและเสียง ( น่ารักจังเว้ยย ^ ^ )
เป็นข่าวเลยงานนี้
Na Yeon Choi rallies to win at Torrey Pines She blows a seven-shot lead, then wins Samsung World Championship with a birdie on the 18th hole.
Na Yeon Choi watches her tee shot at No. 5 during the final round of the LPGA Samsung World Championship tournament on Sunday. (Reed Saxon / Associated Press / September 20)
Na Yeon Choi blew her best chance for the first LPGA Tour win of her career.
Her second chance worked out just fine.
After losing a seven-stroke lead Sunday, the South Korean rallied to win the Samsung World Championship on the 18th hole at Torrey Pines.
"I can't believe that I won," Choi said after shooting a one-under-par 71. "Throughout the second half I thought I was going to lose it again."
Choi finished at 16-under 272 and held off runner-up Ai Miyazato of Japan, who shot a 69, the low round of the day.
Choi began the final round with a two-stroke lead, got birdies on two of her first four holes and made a 10-foot eagle putt on the sixth hole to extend her lead to seven strokes.
But as Choi struggled, Miyazato rallied to take the lead at 16 under.
Choi has been working with a sports psychologist on her mental game and was repeating some of the lessons she has recently learned.
"Mentally, I felt I was very weak," Choi said. "I kept telling myself to be positive. I wanted to be positive about everything."
On the par-five 18th hole, it was Miyazato's turn to make a mistake. With 203 yards remaining for her second shot, Miyazato's five-wood approach hit the bank in front of the 18th green and rolled into the water. She took a drop in front of the pond but could not get up and down for par.
Choi's second shot on the 18th reached the front left of the green and her third shot came to rest five feet below the pin. Choi, who had missed several putts of equal or less distance, converted the birdie for the victory.
"I felt like I had just turned professional today," Choi said when facing the putt for victory. "I was so nervous."
Samsung World Championship Torrey Pines South Course La Jolla, Calif. Sept. 20, 2009
Final-round interviews
Final-round notes
Choi becomes Rolex First-Time Winner at Samsung World Championship
La Jolla, Calif., Sept. 20, 2009 South Korean Na Yeon Choi birdied the 72nd hole at the Samsung World Championship to become the sixth Rolex First-Time Winner of the season on Sunday. Choi's four-day total of 16-under-par 272 (71-67-63-71) was one stroke better than Ai Miyazato (68-68-68-69=273, -15). The 21-year-old banks $250,000 for the victory and moves into ninth on the 2009 LPGA Official Money List with $945,701.
I can't believe I just won my first tournament, Choi said. And that putt (on 18) was, I feel like I can't say, I was really nervous and I feel I just turned pro now.
The famed Torrey Pines South Course provided the stunning backdrop for what looked like a sure victory for Choi early in the day. She took a six-stroke lead on Sunday with birdies at holes two and four and an eagle at six, but three consecutive bogies at nine, 10 and 11 dropped her advantage to two shots. Miyazato took the lead after birdies at 12 and 16 and a bogey by Choi at 15, but the 18th hole proved to be the deciding factor. Miyazato hit her second shot into the greenside pond, took a drop and two-putted for bogey. Choi, playing in the last group after entering the final round with a lead for the first time in her career, two-putted for birdie from just in front of the green to seal the victory.
Choi was the runner-up to Yani Tseng in the race for the 2008 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year award. Last season, she recorded then-career-best runner-up finishes at the Sybase Classic Presented by ShopRite and the Evian Masters, where she lost to Helen Alfredsson in a three-hole, sudden-death playoff. Choi was the last person to gain entrance to the elite 20-player field based on her position on the 2009 Official Money List following the Safeway Classic Presented by Pepsi.
Choi crosses $2 million mark.. With her victory and $250,000 paycheck at the Samsung World Championship, Na Yeon Choi crossed the $2 million mark in career earnings. A year ago, Choi crossed the $1 million mark in career earnings at the same event. The second-year Tour member now has 2,041,467in career earnings.
Choi earns stay at Canyon Ranch.Na Yeon Choi celebrated her victory at the 2009 Samsung World Championship victory with a trophy and received an all-inclusive stay for two at a Canyon Ranch resort. In a combined effort to promote health and overall well-being among Tour players, Canyon Ranch will provide every winner of an LPGA event with one all-inclusive stay at one of Canyon Ranch's two destination resorts
Final-round interviews:
Na Yeon Choi, 71-67-63-71=272 (-16) Hole 2, 352-yard, par 4: birdie 9-iron to 8 feet Hole 4, 423-yard, par 4: birdie 5-iron to 7 yards Hole 6, 477-yard, par 5: eagle rescue club to 12 feet Hole 9, 520-yard, par 5: bogey 3-putt from 10 yards, missed 3-foot par putt Hole 10, 375-yard, par 4: bogey 9-iron over green, chip to 4 yards, 2-putt Hole 11, 204-yard, par 3: bogey rescue club left, chip to 7 yards, 2-putt Hole 15, 359-yard, par 4: bogey 3-putt from 20 yards, missed 3-foot part putt Hole 18, 498-yard, par 5: birdie rescue club from 193 yards to front fringe, 2-putt from 12 yards, made 4-foot birdie putt for victory
MIKE SCANLAN: Congratulations you're the 2009 Samsung World Championship winner, and you are also a Rolex first time winner on Tour. Ifyou would just tell us about that last putt, that 4 foot putt, what was going through your head? NA YEON CHOI: Thanks for coming. And that putt was, I feel like I can't say, I was really nervous and I feel I just turned pro now. I was really nervous.
MIKE SCANLAN: Just talk about how exciting it is to get your first victory.
NA YEON CHOI (via interpreter): I can't believe I just won my first tournament. Throughout the second half of the tournament today I thought I was going to lose it again but it was easy, now I look back at it. It was a lot easier, but it was really difficult when I was doing it and I just don't know. I can't think of words to describe how I feel right now.
Q. Did you know that you could win with a birdie before you hit your second shot on 18 or did you think you were behind on one? NA YEON CHOI: Before when I hit a second shot I thought I needed to make birdie. I knew that.
Q. If you had known you could go to a playoff with a par would you have played differently? NA YEON CHOI (via interpreter) No, it wouldn't have made any changes. I would have played just as aggressively as I did.
Q. You have been working on the mental part of your game, and I am wondering how that helped you today, particularly at 18? NA YEON CHOI (via interpreter): Today mentally I felt like I was very weak mentally speaking. In the latter half of the tournament, the round today, I kept telling myself, talking to myself to be positive and try to be positive about everything.
Q. When you missed that short putt on 9 did you start to panic or get nervous, what were your thoughts after that? NA YEON CHOI: I think I was nervous at times starting on No. 9 after I missed the putt. And No. 10 I got 2 bogey, No. 10 and No. 11. Yes, I was nervous.
Q. Were you watching the scoreboard today from the time you built the early lead, did that change your approach at all or did you keep to yourself and play your game without watching the scoreboard? NA YEON CHOI (via interpreter) In the beginning yes, I did look at the scoreboard every chance I get because I knew I was up a pretty good score. But after the bogey on 11, I stopped watching until the end. I haven't looked at it since.
NA YEON CHOI: I asked the caddy, I didn't know the winning score.
Q. What was your yardage on your second shot into 18 with your rescue club? NA YEON CHOI: To the pin 193 yard.
Q. And when you hit it it looked like you were unhappy with the shot? Where did you think the shot was going to be? NA YEON CHOI: It was not solid, so I thought really short, but it's okay.
Q. Did you have any worry about it being in the water? NA YEON CHOI: Yes. Yes.
Q. You thought it might be? NA YEON CHOI (via interpreter) I know I missed it and I thought I hit it to the right but I didn't really think it went into the water.
Q. I saw you talking to Jiyai Shin on the back 9, what were you tacking about, what did she tell you? NA YEON CHOI (via interpreter) Yes, I think Jiyai had helped me a lot today. She was asking me why, why was I so nervous today? And I think having conversations with her helped me a lot today.
Q. What did Jiyai say to you? NA YEON CHOI: Jiyai told me Ai's shot was in the hazard on 18. She saw it.
Q. Were you surprised about the little beer bath after you won, what did that mean to you? NA YEON CHOI (via interpreter) I'm just happy that my friends were congratulating me.
Q. It looked like an official asked you to speed up play on the 15th tee, did that affect your play at all, or did it have any bearing at all on the course? NA YEON CHOI (via interpreter) Yes, they did come and told me to speed up but that didn't affect my play at all.
Q. Was there any point that you lost the lead, or that you were giving up the strokes where you felt you lost the tournament, you were just throwing it away; did that every occur to you? NA YEON CHOI (via interpreter) I didn't know I lost the lead until my putt on 17. So I saw that I was losing after the putt on 17, and until then I didn't know, and I thought I was still leading. I knew I wasn't playing well but I thought I was still leading.
Q. After your eagle on the front 9 and you got the big 7 stroke lead did you feel you changed the way you were playing, perhaps less aggressively? NA YEON CHOI (via interpreter) No, nothing like that. After the bogey on 9, I told myself it's okay. But after the bogey on 10 and 11, I was a little bit the shaken up.
ถึงแม้ตอนนี้ผลจะออกมาแล้ว และถึงชอยจะไม่ได้แชมป์ แต่บอกแล้วไงว่าคะแนนไม่ได้ขี้เหร่ จบวันสุดท้ายที่ - 10 under
ในขณะที่แชมป์คือ Ai Miyasato ( สาวญี่ปุ่นคนนี้โคตรเก่ง ) ได้ 14 under เป็นผู้นำร่วมกับ Sophie Gustafson ชาวสวีเดน เลยต้องตัดสินโดยการเล่น play off แล้ว Miyasato ก็ชนะไปตามระเบียบ
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