Kim ends nine-year LPGA Tour drought

ChristinaKim

Kim, 30, broke a nine-year drought on the women's tour, but coughed up her five-shot lead heading into the final round - as Feng forced extra holes in Mexico City.

The American eventually prevailed on the second play-off hole at the Club de Golf Mexico, after making par on the 18th twice - while Feng bogeyed at the second attempt.

Earlier, the Chinese challenger reeled in her deficit to Kim with a brilliant final-round six-under-par 66.

Feng struck an eagle on the par-five second before bogeying the next, but was flawless thereafter with six birdies - including five on a red-hot back nine.

Conversely, Kim was clearly nervous as she tried to close out her first LPGA trophy since November 2005, as she mixed six birdies with five bogeys to card a 71.

Crucially, Kim could not close out the win in 72 holes, bogeying the par-four 18th after requiring birdies on 16 and 17 to get back to 16 under and a one-shot lead heading to the final hole.

But she regathered her composure in the finish, to win her third tour title.

World number one Park Inbee finished outright third, four shots off the leading pair on 11 under - after a final-round 68.

Tied for fourth were American Brittany Lincicome (69) and South Korea's Ryu So-Yeon (71) at nine under, one clear of Thai Pornanong Phatlum (72) who finished outright sixth.

Jenny Shin, of South Korea, snapped her run of three straight 71s with a four-under 68 to be tied seventh at seven under with Spain's Azahara Munoz (73) - who slipped from a tie for third overnight.

New Zealand's Lydia Ko (72) was nine shots better off than Angela Stanford (68) at the midway point of the tournament, but they finished tied for ninth on Sunday.

The American bounced back from consecutive 73s to start her week, to post 69-68 on the weekend, while Ko's strong start (68-69) was marred by a 74-72 finish.

Defending champion Lexi Thompson finished tied for 15th despite being unable to break into the 60s, as the American finished with a one-over-par 73 to be three-under overall.

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