Miki Saiki grabs a surprise victory at Studio Alice Ladies Open
Miki Saiki stunned the spectators at the Studio Alice Ladies Open on the final day, beating Shin Ji Yai of South Korea by one stroke.
Saiki displayed a remarkable performance on Sunday, but Shin Ji Yai was in a far better position until the last moment at Hanayashiki Golf Club in Hyogo Prefecture.
Shin faltered in the last round, as she carded a double-bogey on the 17th, making a severe dent in her leaderboard position.
Analysts said that Shin would have won the match if she had held her nerve and avoided making too many careless strokes.
On the other hand, Saiki picked up pace on the back nine, as she started playing a calculated game. She drained birdies on the 16th and 18th holes to claim the victory.
According to the match details, the South Korean Shin came close to winning by maintaining a four-shot lead. She played comfortably on almost all the holes, but messed up the final round on the last three.
Observers said that Shin remained strong throughout the event. They pointed out that the psychological pressure was immense, as the home crowd gave support to Japanese players.
Shin boasts a strong profile, as she topped the money list on the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) Tour in 2009.
Saiki, who could not believe what she did in the final moments of the tournament, said that she had lost hope when she saw Shin piling up scores.
She said that she had plenty of chances at the start, but failed to capitalize on them, which benefitted Shin and other players.
"Today made me realize this old saying -- you never know what will happen in golf until it's over," the proud winner said.
Saiki said that grabbing a victory at Hanayashiki Golf Club is a nice experience, as she has gained the much-needed confidence to move forward.
She said that she was thrilled when she picked up pace in the last holes of the final day, making sensible shots. "I was able to hit some big shots in clutch situations. That's going to be a nice confidence boost. I'm glad I won in front of my parents".
The tournament featured competent players from Asian regions, with massive representation from Japan.
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