ORLANDO, Florida (Kyodo) — Japan’s Nasa Hataoka completed fifth within the LPGA season-opening Match of Champions after capturing a 2-over-par 74 in Sunday’s closing spherical.
Beginning the day three strokes off the lead and in a tie for second, Hataoka’s bid for a seventh LPGA tour title fell brief when she carded one birdie and three bogeys at Orlando’s Lake Nona Golf and Nation Membership for a 9-under 279 whole.
Canada’s Brooke Henderson claimed her thirteenth tour crown at 16-under with a wire-to-wire win, ending 4 strokes forward of Maja Stark of Sweden and Briton Charley Hull in second. American Nelly Korda was a stroke again in fourth.
Solely a 15-minute drive from her base in Florida, Hataoka mentioned she considers the format her “residence course” however struggled with the wind on the ultimate day.
“I used to be taking part in in the identical closing group because the chief Henderson and hoped to get a bit nearer to her,” mentioned Hataoka, who had her solely birdie on No. 9 and two bogeys in her final three holes.
“The wind was strongest out of 4 days and it was troublesome to enhance my rating…I needed to win this event and make a great begin.”
Her Japanese compatriot Yuka Saso shot a 70 and led to a three-way tie for sixth, a stroke behind Hataoka. Ayaka Furue got here 18th at 1-under following a final-day 73.
The Match of Champions was contested by 29 LPGA title winners from the previous two seasons.
