Season finale: Suzann Pettersen messes up in final two rounds
Norwegian Suzann Pettersen had enough chances to win the CME Group Titleholders 2012, but she was let down by sloppy strokes and lack of patience in the final two rounds.
Having got off to a sizzling start at the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) tournament as she fired a 66 in the first round to seize an early lead, Pettersen convinced herself that she would be able to continue her superb form that helped her win two straight titles in Asia last month.
The Norwegian star deserved credit for her early charge in the four-round tournament, but her game went from bad to worse in the third and fourth round that witnessed her post a 72 and 75 respectively.
Not only did this hamper the LPGA giant from moving up in the leaderboard position, it also gave the match control back to Asian contenders, who did not look as fired up as Pettersen at the start of the tournament on Thursday.
Emboldened by a grim performance by the first-round leader, players like South Korean Na Yeon Choi and So Yeon Ryu ramped up pressure by shooting birdies, capitalising on the favourable weather and course conditions.
The final round was the scene of disappointment for Pettersen as she carded a bogey on the first hole. She then parred the next seven holes, trying to regain composure. However, her game remained as jittery as it was early in the morning. She shot another bogey on the front nine to push her score to a 38.
On the back nine, Pettersen made all-out efforts to regain her lost position, but all her efforts could garner was two bogeys and one birdie on the par-5 14th.
South Korean Na Yeon Choi dazzled the entire lineup as she shot a massive 274 to win her second LPGA title of the 2012 season.
Speaking to the media at the end of the season-ending event on Sunday, Choi said that she was a bit under pressure after grabbing a third-round lead, but she did fine on the last day.
“Actually I was very nervous even last night. I told all the people, you know, leading tournament is always like extra pressure,” said Choi who has won a total of seven LPGA titles since turning pro in 2004.
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