Taoyuan, Taiwan – Suzann Pettersen closed with a 3-under 69 on Sunday to come from behind and win the Sunrise LPGA Taiwan Championship.
Pettersen, who also won last week in Korea, finished at 19-under-par 269. Her 69 was one of four rounds in the 60s in Sunday's windy conditions.
"Today, I was kind of happy I was in the position I was in after yesterday, coming from behind, being a little bit of an underdog, knowing that they predicted tougher conditions, and that was just right up my alley," Pettersen said.
"It was tough enough to where I managed to keep my focus on my game trying to execute every shot, and it kind of took the pressure off me. So I guess the conditions kind of helped me today."
Inbee Park, who had at least a piece of the lead after the first three rounds, stumbled to a 2-over 74 in the final round to finish second at minus-16 at Sunrise Golf & Country Club.
Last year's winner and world No. 1 Yani Tseng closed with a 71 to end alone in third place at 15-under-par 273.
Catriona Matthew was one stroke further back at minus-14 after a final-round 70, while So Yeon Ryu took fifth at 10-under 278 after closing with a 68.
Pettersen was two strokes off the lead to start the day, but cut that deficit to one with a birdie on the first. Park tripped to a bogey at the par-4 fifth to dip into a tie for the lead at 17-under.
Park and Pettersen both birdied the par-5 sixth to remain tied for the lead. They both stumbled to bogeys at seven as well. That was Pettersen's first bogey in 48 holes. Park ran off six straight pars from the eighth.
Pettersen fell one back as she faltered to a bogey on the par-3 11th. She came right back with a birdie on No. 12.
Park dropped one shot back with a bogey on the 14th, then Pettersen pushed her lead to two as she birdied the par-4 15th. Pettersen closed her 10th LPGA Tour title with a birdie at the last.
"Well, teeing off on 18 with a 2-shot lead, hitting the fairway I felt pretty good," Pettersen stated.
Park parred the final four holes to end three back.
"I think I almost played perfect for first three days. I will try to take the positive out of this week," Park commented. "Today, I hit the ball good, but the putts just didn't fall. I holed a lot of putts the last three days, so I guess today was just an unlucky day."
NOTES: Pettersen earned $300,000 for the win and she topped the $1 million mark for the sixth straight season...Tseng and Jiyai Shin also have won back- to-back events this season...The tour shifts to Japan next week for the Mizuno Classic, where Momoko Ueda won last year.
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