Eun-Hee Ji was under pressure after two bogeys, but her eagle at the ninth hole proved pivotal as she fought back to clinch a 3 and 2 victory in the LPGA Match-Play final against Ayaka Furue at Shadow Creek
Monday 30 May 2022 08:14, UK
South Korea's Eun-Hee Ji defeated Ayaka Furue of Japan 3 and 2 to win the LPGA Match-Play title in Las Vegas – and claim the final spot in the US Women's Open.
Ji fell behind after two bogeys but fought back to win three successive holes, including a 92-yard shot for eagle at the par-five ninth and secure her sixth career LPGA Tour victory.
That earned the 36-year-old a place at the US Women's Open, a tournament she won in 2009. This year's edition gets under way on Thursday, with coverage on Sky Sports Mix from 6pm.
"It's still surreal and hasn't sunk in," Ji said. "I think it'll hit me once I go there. Hopefully I can continue this week's momentum.
"I'll get there, rest first, and then see the course and just do same thing as this week."
Both the semi-finals and final took place on Sunday, with Ji defeating Andrea Lee 4 and 3 while Furue edged out Lilia Vu 2 and 1.
Ji won the third hole to go one-up in the final but then bogeyed the fourth and seventh, both par-five holes to leave her in trouble.
However, her eagle at the ninth sparked a recovery and she was two up with three to play by the time she parred the 16th, while Furue bogeyed.
It was a first LPGA Tour triumph since 2019 for Ji, who won six of her seven matches in five days at Shadow Creek.
Meanwhile, Vu defeated Lee 3 and 2 to win the third-place match.
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