Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia - Final Round

Jimin Kang birdied three of her last four holes to win the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia.  It is the second victory of her eight-year career and her first since 2005.  Juli Inkster - once again vying to become the oldest winner in Tour history - finished in second place, one shot behind while Mika Miyazato and Maria Hjorth tied for third.

Kang started the day three shots behind at -3, playing two groups ahead of the leaders.  After a birdie-bogey start, she mostly treaded water - birdying only the 7^th.  She made the turn at -4, still among the logjam of players within 3-4 shots.  Playing in the next-to-last group, Inkster got off well with birdies at 2 and 3 to reach -6 (momentarily tying for the lead).  Juli bogeyed 5 but recovered that shot at 9.  As for co-leaders Hjorth and Jee Young Lee:  Maria started birdie-bogey-birdie then settled for pars to take the lead through the turn at -7.  Jelly unfortunately repeated her tendency to vanish from Sunday contention as she went out in +3 38.  Also in the final group, Song-Hee Kim was maintaining very well at -6 until she bogeyed 9.  At this point, Hjorth was on top at -7, Inkster was one shot behind, Kang, Miyazato and Kim were two back at -5 and a bunch of others were sitting at -4 or -3.

Inkster bogeyed 10 to fall back to -5, giving Hjorth a two-shot lead.  Jimin started her run with a birdie at 12 to go -6 and into solo second.  Song-Hee also birdied 12 to join Jimin at -6 but she immediately collapsed with bogeys at 13 and 14 and a double at 15.  Mika and Juli both birdied 13 to create a four-way tie for second, but Miyazato dropped that shot on the very next hole.  From there, Mika was able to birdie 17 but it wasn't enough to keep pace.  Kang birdied 15 to tie for the lead and Inkster did the same.  Back at 14 Hjorth dropped a shot to fall out of the lead tie.  Jimin birdied 16 and moments later Juli did too.  Both were at -8 and two shots clear of the field.

Kang parred 17.  Hjorth birdied 16 to draw within one of the lead.  Inkster birdied 17 to take the lead at -9.  At 18, Kang birdied to finish at -9 with a round of 65.  Hjorth could only par 17, which all but eliminated her.  Needing birdie to win and par to force a playoff, Inkster found a greenside bunker at 18 and couldn't get up and down.  The bogey gave Kang the lead and when Hjorth wasn't able to hole out to force a playoff (she took bogey instead), Jimin was the winner.

Be sure to watch this exciting finish on Golf Channel today at noon EDT.  During the two hours of coverage, we're sure to see Kang's huge smile a few times!