Hataoka clings to LPGA victory
Nasa Hataoka survived a nervy finish for a one-shot victory over Minjee Lee and Eun-Hee Ji on Sunday in the Walmart Northwest Arkansas Championship.
Hataoka, a 22-year-old from Japan, shot a final-round 4-under 67 to finish at 16-under at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers. She three-putted the par-5 18th hole after reaching the green in two, having to make a 3-footer for par after rolling her first putt 15 feet past the hole.
Lee, one shot back in the same group, ripped a long drive down the center, but went with a 5-iron from 196 yards that finished well short of the elevated green. Her pitch shot up the hill left her about 16 feet for birdie and that failed to drop.
Ji, who eagled the par-5 14th to pull herself into contention, hit her second shot on 18 into a bunker behind the green. She putted out of the bunker to 3 feet below the hole and made that birdie to finish tied for second.
Lee, tied for the lead with Hataoka to start the day at 12-under, shot a finalround 68, while Ji closed with a 67.
Hataoka, who won her fifth title on the LPGA Tour, had her first victory in this event in 2018.
PGA Tour Champions
K.J. Choi backed up his secondround 68 with another 68 and went on to win by two shots in the Pure Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach in Monterey Peninsula, California.
He is the first South Korean to win on the PGA Tour Champions.
It’s his first win on the Champions circuit and his first win anywhere since he claimed the 2012 CJ Invitational on the Asian Tour, an event he hosts in Korea. Prior to that, he won the 2011 Players Championship in a playoff over David Toms.
Bernhard Langer and Alex Cejka also closed with final-round 68s but finished tied for second at 11 under. Scott Dunlap had the best final round, posting a 6-under 66. He finished solo fourth.