Kia Classic - Final Round

Hee Kyung Seo, the 2009 KLPGA Player of the Year, was never challenged as she cruised to a six-shot victory in the Kia Classic Presented by J Golf.  It was her first LPGA victory in eight career starts to go along with her 11 KLPGA wins.  Inbee Park finished in second place at -6 while Jiyai Shin and Jee Young Lee tied for third at -5.

Starting the day with a five-shot lead, Seo gave her competitors hope when she bogeyed the first hole.  That opening allowed Teresa Lu, Jee Young Lee and Anna Nordqvist to draw within four strokes but the Supermodel of the Fairways reasserted herself with birdies at 3 and 4.  She stumbled at 7 when a five-foot par putt failed to drop but she made up for that by chipping in for birdie at 8.  Seo ran off four stress-free pars before dropping a birdie from 12 feet at 13.  That put her up by six with only five to play and she put the icing on when she again chipped in for birdie at 14.  She dropped two shots at 16 when she found the water off the tee but a birdie at 17 and par and 18 kept that mistake from looming larger.

Not surprisingly, the day's only tense moment centered on Michelle Wie.  She was -6 and down by five through 10 holes - not out of it by any means but not really in it, either - when her second to the par-5 11^th landed in the edge of the greenside water hazard.  Questionably electing to play it where it lay, Michelle barely got the ball out of the water but not past the hazard line.  As the water went flying and she completed her swing, she clearly grounded her club inside the hazard which constitutes a two-shot penalty.  Wie played her fourth to about 12 feet and dropped the putt to momentarily save par.  Two holes later as LPGA official Doug Brecht personally informed Wie of the penalty, Michelle protested that she had grounded the club because she felt she was losing her balance.  Brecht (along with two other officials prior to the notification) ruled that not to be the case.  I have a feeling we'll be hearing more about this on Monday.  Wie went on to finish tied for sixth at -4.

Inbee Park rose to second place by posting the Round of the Week, a 65 which could have been even better as she parred the last four holes including a three-putt at 18.  Catriona Matthew and Morgan Pressel made good Sundays runs into the Top 10, finishing T6 with rounds of 67 and 68 respectively.

More, as usual, in tomorrow's Epilogue.