Holding off some of the biggest names in women's golf including 4 fellow David Leadbetter Golf Academy students, unheralded Hee Young Park won the CME Group Titleholders on Sunday for her first career LPGA title. Hee Young is coached by DLGA's Andrew Park.
The impressive leaderboard was stacked with DLGA students taking 5 of the top 6 spots in the tour's final event of 2011.
Park, with a closing 70, finished at 9-under-par 279 to beat Paula Creamer and Sandra Gal (also coached by DLGA's Andrew Park) by two shots at sun-splashed Grand Cypress Resort to win the LPGA tour's season-ending event. Another shot back were Na Yeon Choi (Kevin Smeltz) and world No. 2 Suzann Pettersen (David Leadbetter). Michelle Wie (David Leadbetter), world No. 3 Cristie Kerr and world No. 1 Yani Tseng, trying to win for the 12th time this season, made brief runs at the championship before finishing in a tie for sixth, seven shots behind.
"I still cannot believe this," Park said. "On the back nine I was getting like nervous and then getting tight in my body. So my caddie said, 'Just keep going, keep trying to (play) like (it's the) first round. You're on the tee first time each hole, and just keep doing the same thing.' And then I said 'OK.' "
Read more: Hee Young Park wins LPGA finale [USA Today]
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