South Korea’s Lee Il-Hee captured her first LPGA title on Sunday, firing a five-under-par 42 over a 12-hole round to win the weather-hit Bahamas Classic golf event by two strokes over Irene Cho.
After a bogey-free final round, Lee finished on 11-under 126 for 36 holes played in three 12-hole rounds due to course flooding.
She foiled American Cho’s bid for her first LPGA triumph after a seven-under 40 in the final round.
Until a third-placed finish earlier this month at the Kingsmill Championship, Lee’s best LPGA showing was a share of fourth at last year’s US Women’s Open.
“I can’t believe it,” Lee said.
Severe winds and rain nagged players over the last round, which was needed to reach the minimum 36 holes that made the tournament official.
“It was tough to play,” Lee said. “It was blowing hard – and rain too. It was tough.”
LPGA officials came up with the 12-hole, three-day format to salvage what had been planned as a 72-hole event. The course was flooded on Tuesday by a severe storm that dropped more than 30cm of rain, dooming hopes of playing on Thursday.
The par-3 fourth hole was dropped on Sunday in favour of the once-flooded par-5 18th, changing the layout from a par-45 to a par-47 makeshift layout using six holes from each of the Ocean Club’s front and back nines.
Lee, 24, opened with three birdies in a row and added another at the eighth, a tap-in birdie, to reach 10-under for a one-stroke lead over Cho with four holes to play.
Lee endured long waits before her tee shot and approach at the oceanside second-last hole before leaving a long birdie putt four feet short, but she dropped the tension-packed putt to stay ahead.
Blasting her second shot onto the green at the par-5 final hole just before heavy rain began, Lee missed an 18-foot eagle putt but tapped in for birdie and the win.
Cho opened with a birdie, added another on the par-5 third hole and then eagled the par-5 fifth hole with a stunning approach from the fairway.
Back-to-back birdies at the eighth and par-3 ninth, the latter from 15 feet, and another at the par-5 12th put Cho in the clubhouse with the best finish of her career.
“I have no idea (how I played so well),” Cho said. “I was just one shot at a time.”
Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist was third on 129 with a group sharing fourth on 130 including Japan’s Mika Miyazato, France’s Karine Icher and Americans Mindy Kim, Paula Creamer and Cristie Kerr.
Australian Lindsey Wright finished on 132 – six strokes behind Lee.
