Manulife Financial LPGA Classic 2012: Inbee Park tied for second spot, unhappy with last-round perforamnce
South Korean Inbee Park was brimming with confidence when she went into playoff at the end of the fourth round of Manulife Financial LPGA Classic 2012, but failed to cheer her fans after she and two other contenders
lost to Brittany Lang.
Park played amazingly well right from the start of the inaugural Manulife Financial LPGA Classic 2012, held at Waterloo, Canada, and came close to defeating her nearest rivals.
However, the match took a dramatic turn on the last day when four players, Park, Brittany Lang, Hee Kyung SEO and Chella Choi tied for the top spot after they posted an overall 268.
The tournament then stretched into playoff, pitting the four contenders against each other in yet another nerve-racking phase.
Lang, who was standing tied for the second position at the end of the third round, stepped up pressure on her rivals, as she posted a bogey-free score on the concluding day.
Having shot four birdies in the last round, Lang managed to put herself in a comfortable position. She posted a 67 in the round and went into playoff with full confidence.
On the other hand, Park appeared to be the strongest contender until the last round, but faltered in the final moments.
She posted an impressive 66 in the third round and grabbed a solo lead. However, she could not maintain her upper hand in the fourth round; letting three other contenders improve their positions on the leaderboard.
Analysts said that the South Korean star could have steered clear of resistance by playing a little more sensible game. They added if Park had avoided making bogeys in the final round, the match wound not have
entered into playoff, and she would have walked away with the prestigious title.
Speaking of her last-round performance at the end of the tournament, the golfing sensation said that she was happy after seizing the top spot at the end of the third round, but the final day did not go that
good.
She admitted that she made plenty of mistakes, as her putting was sloppy enough to make a dent in her overall score.
“Today wasn't the best day for playing today. I left a lot of putts out there, I think. Today was just not my day and maybe the next time,” Park shared.
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