World No.6 Ha Na Jang of South Korea has blown away the red hot field to win the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open.
Jang, 24, conjured a remarkable finish stretch and iced her cake with eagle from long range at the 17th, then a brilliant birdie at the 18th to reach 10-under.
Her round of 69, 4-under, equalled the low round of the day but given that it was done in the toughest of the conditions, with gusty winds, it was an heroic performance by the Korean and it crushed the hopes of everyone around her.
Not even overnight leader Lizette Salas of the United States, nor Australia’s great hope Su Oh, also playing in the final group, could stave her off, and Jang posted her score and waited for the others to limp in.
The smiling Jang is immensely popular with the crowds, always so willing to engage, and she is a great winner of the national championship. Her back nine of 31 to a par of 36 will go into the annals, a piece of sporting genius with birdies at the 13th, 14th and 18th holes as well as the eagle at 17 when she launched into her characteristic celebration.
She won by a shot from Denmark’s Nanna Madsen, who closed with an even-par 73 and finished at seven-under.
Australia’s Minjee Lee rattled home with a 70 to leap up to a tie for third with compatriot Sarah Jane Smith, Thailand’s world No. 2 Ariya Jutanugarn and Japan’s Haru Nomura, the defending champion.
Oh had a poor day, carding a 77 to tie 14th, and Salas, who had led by as many as three shots as she walked up the 11th hole today, fell away badly to record a 78 and finish tied-seventh.
FINAL LEADERBOARD:Â www.womensausopen.com/scores
