WEIHAI, China, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Kim Ji-hyun did just enough to capture the Asiana Airlines Open crown on Sunday, as the South Korean veteran made a birdie on the penultimate hole to close with a three-under 69, one stroke ahead of her compatriot Cho Jeong-min (65).
Overnight leader "Kim Ji-hyun 2", as she is known on the LPGA Tour of Korea circuit, finished the 54-hole tournament at Weihai Point Golf Resort on 11-under par at 205. The win, her first of the season, at the China LPGA Tour co-sponsored event was worth 833,879 yuan (125,602 U.S. dollars).
South Korean players dominated the 78-player, no-cut field, occupying the top seven spots on the leaderboard. Bae Seon-woo shot 67 to finish third at two shots off the pace.
Saranporn Langkulgasettrin was the best of the CLPGA Tour regulars, as the Thai star closed with 70 to sit equal eighth at seven shots back. Feng Shanshan was the top Chinese, the world No. 6 shooting 70 to finish equal 14th at the 4.15 million yuan (625,000 U.S. dollars) tournament.
Kim, who earned her fourth KLPGA Tour since turning pro in 2009, called the competition "very intense". She noted the task was made more difficult by the dramatic landscape of the GolfPlan-designed Weihai Point layout that sits on a peninsula jutting out onto the Bohai Bay.
"The golf course is extremely tough. I am excited to have three great scores and to win this lovely trophy. The 17th hole, where I sank a 15-foot birdie putt, was definitely a defining moment. I knew if I held my place at the last hole I could be the winner at the end of the day," said the 26-year-old from Seoul.
"I felt a lot of pressure in the middle of the round. I told myself to calm down and play as if it were a practice round. It worked."
Saranporn, the CLPGA Tour Order of Merit leader who has won five times over the past two seasons, started the day at six strokes back. The teenager, however, could never get close in her round that included an eagle three at the 495-yard 10th hole, two birdies and two bogeys.
"I'm pretty happy with my round today, happy for the day, happy for the week because I didn't finish well on this course," said the Phuket native. "But this year, overall, it's great, so I'm pretty happy."
Feng was never in contention this week but the big-hitting Guangdong native put on a show for the fans late in her round with three consecutive birdies starting from the 15th hole to get to two-under.
"I told my caddie that it's too late to wake up after this round. I just played an average game for three days and made just a few birdies. But I am glad to make such long birdie putts and finally be at two-under. It's definitely better than an even par," said Feng, the China No. 1 who is still looking for her first win in 2018.
"The problem is my ball-striking, which made it hard to make birdies. I didn't handle the par-five holes well. I didn't hit it close. But three birdies over the final four holes left me happy.
"I'm really glad to come back home and play before these lovely fans who were cheering for me. I tried my best on every shot. It's a little bit disappointing that I have had no success this year."
Weihai Point Golf Resort is a 6,155-yard, par-72 layout designed by GolfPlan.
