Pak wins rain-shortened LPGA event in playoff

The sportenetwork, 5/16/2010 5:51 PM

Mobile, AL (Sports Network) - Se Ri Pak made birdie from a fairway bunker Sunday to win a three-way playoff at the rain-shortened Bell Micro LPGA Classic.

Pak outlasted Brittany Lincicome and Suzann Pettersen in the playoff to capture her 25th career LPGA Tour victory.

Facing the long-hitting Lincicome on the third playoff hole, Pak stuck a spectacular bunker shot to about 10 feet to set up a birdie opportunity.

Lincicome hit her approach shot into a bunker fronting the green, blasted out and made a clutch 20-foot downhill putt to secure a par and put the pressure on her Hall of Fame opponent.

Equal to the task, Pak rolled in the birdie putt for her first win in nearly three years.

She was showered with beer and champagne on the No. 18 green by several players, including fellow South Korean Jiyai Shin, the No. 1 player in the world.

"I just did my best all week," a tearful Pak said in a TV interview after the playoff. "That was a pretty hard shot from [the bunker]."

All three players made two-putt pars on the first playoff hole, and Pettersen was knocked out on the second extra hole when she made a bogey from behind the 18th green.

The tournament was shortened to 54 holes because of unplayable course conditions and Pak, Lincicome and Pettersen made the playoff because they shared the third-round lead.

More than four inches of rain fell overnight at The Crossings course, but the final round started on time. Pak, Lincicome and Pettersen completed three holes before the round was stopped because of the weather.