KAPOLEI: Canada's Brooke Henderson held her nerve to clinch the LPGA Tour Lotte Championship in Hawaii on Saturday, firing a three-under-par 69 to seal a four-shot victory.
The 20-year-old from Ontario finished on 12-under 276, four strokes ahead of Spain's Azahara Munoz, while Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn shared third place with top-ranked Feng Shanshan of China and world No.3 Park In-Bee of South Korea at seven-under 281.
Henderson had stumbled badly in Friday's third round, dropping three shots in the closing three holes to leave the chasing pack just one shot behind on the par-72 layout at Ko Olina Golf Club, Oahu.
But the Canadian shrugged off her third-round jitters to remain ahead of the field on Saturday, stretching her lead with two birdies on the front nine to make the turn at two under, 10 under for the tournament.
There was a brief wobble with a bogey on the par-three 12th but Henderson hit back with a birdie on the 14th followed by a birdie on the par-three 16th -- where she made a double-bogey 24 hours earlier -- to close out her four-shot win.
It was the sixth LPGA Tour win of the Canadian youngster's career, which includes a victory as a teenager at the Women's PGA Championship in 2016.
Munoz moved into contention with a five-under-par final round 67, playing flawlessly to climbed up the leaderboard having started the day six strokes off the pace.
The 30-year-old from Malaga began slowly with four straight pars, but grabbed her first birdie of the day on the par-five fifth hole. A further birdie at the ninth took her to five under at the turn.
However the charge began on the back nine, with consecutive birdies at the 11th and 12th before a further birdie on the 14th.
But the Spaniard was unable to add to her birdie spree in the closing holes, leaving her in the clubhouse waiting to see if Henderson would falter.
World No.6 Ariya had a bogey-free round that included birdies on the third, fourth and seventh holes for a three-under 69 and secure her fifth top-10 finish this year. At the turn, the 2016 Player of the Year was three under and three shots behind the leader. She parred her final 11 holes.
The 17th-ranked Moriya, who also started the day at joint ninth place alongside her younger sister, closed with an even par to finish 10th on four-under 284, one stroke ahead of fellow Thai Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras, who hit a 70, and Hawaii native Michelle Wie, who had a 71.
American Mo Martin, who had started the final round one off the pace, saw her challenge evaporate with a nightmare six-over-par 78.
The 35-year-old 2014 British Open winner from California, carded four bogeys and a double-bogey as her quest for a first career LPGA win in the United States continued. agencies/bangkok post
