Pettersen holds nerves to win HanaBank

Incheon, South Korea: Suzann Pettersen won the HanaBank Championship on Sunday for her ninth LPGA Tour title, beating Catriona Matthew with birdie on the third hole of play-off after blowing a big lead.

Seven strokes ahead of Matthew at the start of the round, Pettersen shot a two-over 74 to finish at 11-under 205 on Sky 72 Golf Club’s Ocean Course.

The 43-year-old Matthew finished with a 67.

Pettersen, the Norwegian who also won the 2007 event, took a five-stroke lead over South Korea’s Ryu So-yeon into the final round after opening with a course-record 63 and shooting a 68 on Saturday.

Matthew, from Scotland, had a two-stroke lead after Pettersen’s double bogey on the par-three 12th. Pettersen rallied with a birdie on the par-four 14th and Matthew dropped a stroke on the par-four 16th to leave them tied at 11 under.

They played the par-five 18th three times in the playoff, halving the first two extra holes with pars.

Defending champion Yani Tseng was third at 10 under after a 69. The top-ranked Taiwanese player won three of the first five events of the season.

Pak Se-Ri was the top South Korean player, closing with a 70 finish fourth at nine under. American teenager Lexi Thompson and Germany’s Sandra Gal followed at eight under. Thompson shot a 70, and Gal had a 71. Ryu shot a 73 to tie for seventh at seven under.

Michelle Wie closed with a 70 to tie for 30th at even par. Cheyenne Woods shot a 75 to finish 60th in the 68-player field at seven over. Woods is Tiger Woods’ niece.

The tour will remain in Asia the next two weeks. The LPGA Taiwan Championship is next week, followed by the Mizuno Classic in Japan.