BELMONT, Mich. (AP) — Sei Young Kim won the Meijer LPGA Classic on Sunday for her second victory of the year, beating Carlota Ciganda with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff.
After bogeying the 18th in regulation to drop into the playoff, the 23-year-old Kim rebounded on the par-4 hole in the playoff. She hit a 124-yard shot from the deep left rough — so deep that she momentarily lost her ball after looking away — ran onto the green and settled at 3 1/2 feet.
The South Korean player finished with a 3-under 68 at Blythefield to match Ciganda at 17-under 267.
Ciganda, from Spain, parred the final five holes in a bogey-free 67. Winless on the tour with four fourth runner-up finishes, she also hit into the left rough in the playoff. She hit a 156-yard shot through the green and couldn't get up-and-down for par.
Kim has five career victories, going 3-0 in playoffs. The South Korean player also won the Founders Cup this year in Phoenix, shooting 63-66-70-62 to match Annika Sorenstam's LPGA Tour scoring record of 27 under. Last year, she won three times and was the rookie of the year.
