The Hindu : Sport / Golf : Hee-won Han pockets Office Depot title

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 05, 2005

Sport

Sport - Golf

Hee-won Han pockets Office Depot title

RANCHO PALOS VERDES (California): After a good night's sleep, Han Hee-won Han hit the golf course feeling recharged and aggressive.

The 27-year-old South Korean opened with two consecutive birdies on Monday en route to a 3-under 68 and a two-stroke victory in the 54-hole Office Depot Championship. "This morning, I felt pretty good," she said. "I started birdie-birdie and that was good for me."

Han earned her fourth career U.S. LPGA title and first this year with a 201 total in the tour's first non-playoff Monday finish since 1999.

Han's compatriot, Kang Soo-yun, finished second with her second consecutive 5-under 66 for a 203 total. Scotland's Catriona Matthew was third at 205 after a 3-under 68.

Although they played in front of a sparse crowd on Monday, Han, Kang and the other Koreans were very popular with the heavily Asian fan base in Los Angeles.

"They gave me good support," Kang said through her sister, who served as a translator. "I know some of them, so it was a great help."

Natalie Gulbis earned her sixth top-10 finish this year, shooting an even-par 71 to share fourth place with Karine Icher of France, who had 73 in the final round.

Sunny skies

Han played the final 10 holes under sunny skies on Monday after the third round was suspended by darkness on Sunday, when she was cold, tired and clinging to a one-shot lead through eight holes after bogeying No. 4.

Han started on Monday with birdies on Nos. 9 and 10 to increase her lead. She also birdied the 496-yard 14th, the only par 5 on the back nine.

She flirted with a bogey on the 17th, when her par putt rimmed the back of the cup before falling in, then parred the 18th.

"It's always nervous out there," she said about her near-miss on 17. Two weeks ago, Han missed her second cut of the year at the Oklahoma stop. — AP

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport