Rookie Choi Hye-jin Tied for 2nd by One Stroke: "So Close to My First Win"..."Leto, Why Are You There?"

Choi Hye-jin's CP Women's Open Final Day 2-Under Comeback Loss 'Tears'
Leto Becomes Second South African LPGA Champion
'No. 3' Korda Ties 2nd, Kim A-rim 5th, An Na-rin Ties 6th

Choi Hye-jin is reading the putting line on the 7th hole on the final day of the CP Women's Open. Ottawa (Canada) = Getty Images / Multibits

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] Rookie Choi Hye-jin (23) suffered a come-from-behind loss.

On the 28th (local time), at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club (par 71, 6,546 yards) in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, in the final 4th round of the LPGA Tour CP Women's Open (total prize money $2.35 million), she finished with 2-under par and slipped to a tie for 2nd place by one stroke (18-under par 266). Having joined the LPGA Tour this year and competed in 18 tournaments, she aimed for the top but settled for her personal best performance.

Choi Hye-jin started tied for the lead with Anna Lin (26) by one stroke and made two birdies. After a tedious parade of pars through 14 holes, she finally made her first birdie on the 15th hole (par 3). She added another birdie on the final 18th hole (par 5), but there were not enough holes left to overturn the outcome. She recorded an average drive distance of 260 yards and a fairway hit rate of 92.31%. However, her green in regulation rate dropped to 77.78%, which was a burden compared to the accuracy of her tee shots.

Pola Letot is teeing off on the 13th hole on the final day of the CP Women's Open. Ottawa, Canada = Getty Images / Multibits

Paula Reto (South Africa) pulled off a surprise victory (19-under par 265). Starting in 3rd place, one stroke behind, she racked up five birdies (one bogey). She became the second South African winner after Ashleigh Buhai, who won the major AIG Women's Open on the 8th of this month. The winner's prize money was $352,500 (47 million KRW). Reto debuted on the LPGA Tour in 2014. Before this tournament, she had six top-10 finishes, with her best result being 3rd place at the 2014 Yokohama Tire Classic. "I tried to play simply," she said, cheering, "It was the best day."

‘Number 3’ Nelly Korda (USA) fought hard, lowering her score by four strokes but remained tied for 2nd place. She could have risen to world No. 1 with a win but will wait for the next tournament. Lydia Ko (New Zealand), who has won three times at this event, surged to 4th place (17-under par 267) with a daily best 8-under par round. Home course player Brooke Henderson (Canada) finished tied for 49th place (5-under par 279) in this tournament.

Korea's Kim A-rim (27) shot 4-under par to climb to 5th place (16-under par 268). Meanwhile, Anna Lin lost one stroke and dropped to a tie for 6th place (15-under par 269). Kim Sei-young (29) made a remarkable 8-stroke improvement to finish tied for 9th place (12-under par 272). Yang Hee-young (33) was tied for 17th place (10-under par 274), and Jeon In-ji (28) tied for 32nd place (8-under par 276).