Megan Khang of the United States broke through for her maiden Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour title with a playoff victory over Korea’s Jin Young Ko at the CPKC Women’s Open on Sunday.
Making her 191st career start in her eighth year on the LPGA Tour, Khang carded rounds of 71, 66 and 68 to take a three-shot lead into the final day at Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club.
Five bogeys and two birdies over 17 holes of Khang’s final round allowed former world number one Ko to take a one-shot lead, the latter’s closing 69 setting the clubhouse target of nine-under-par. Khang regrouped and hit a superb approach to four feet at the par-four 18th, sinking the birdie putt for a closing 74 and forcing a playoff.
On the first extra hole, Ko hit a wayward drive and had to take a penalty drop for an unplayable lie, while Khang nailed her tee shot straight down the fairway. Ko hit her third shot into a greenside bunker and wound up with double bogey, allowing Khang to seal the win with a two-putt for par.
Khang paid tribute to her team for believing in her. “Being that it was eight years to get the first win, it definitely kind of creeps into your mind, am I going to win out here? That’s when a good team comes into play.
“My parents, my boyfriend, my caddie, they say it’s not if you’re going to win, it’s like when. It’s also about maturing and being more comfortable and confident in my game, and being able to focus on the task at hand instead of the results,” said Khang, who became the ninth Rolex First-Time Winner of the 2023 LPGA Tour season.
The winner’s cheque of USD375,000 took Khang’s season earnings past the million-dollar mark with USD1,203,340. She has been in great form this year, missing just two cuts in 16 starts with a previous season-best finish of T3 at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
“It definitely gives me a lot of confidence. My game has been trending in the right direction lately and I think this just adds the self-confidence that, hey, I can win out here. I have won out here now,” noted the 25-year-old.
An ethnic Hmong, Khang was born in Brockton, Massachusetts, to parents who had emigrated from Laos to the United States due to the Vietnam War. Learning golf from her father, Khang quickly made her mark and qualified for the 2012 U.S. Women’s Open at age 14.
She won numerous junior titles and was selected for the 2015 U.S. Junior Solheim Cup team.
“Fast forward, I turned pro right after high school. You know, we’re truly living the American dream and I owe everything to them for sacrificing and believing in me. This is a family win,” shared Khang, who will be making her third Solheim Cup appearance at Spain’s Finca Cortesin Golf Club next month.
China’s Ruoning Yin shot a final round 66 to finish solo third on seven-under-par, one shot ahead of Australia’s Hannah Green and Korea’s Sei Young Kim. Malaysia’s Kelly Tan missed the 36-hole cut of four-over-par after rounds of 78 and 74.
The LPGA Tour will make a welcome return to Malaysia this October 26-29 with the USD3 million Maybank Championship at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club.
| Results (Top 5 and ties) | ||
| 279 (-9) | Megan Khang (USA) | 71-66-68-74 |
| Jin Young Ko (KOR) | 69-70-71-69 | |
| Khang won on first playoff hole | ||
| 281 (-7) | Ruoning Yin (CHN) | 72-72-71-66 |
| 282 (-6) | Hannah Green (AUS) | 70-71-72-69 |
| Sei Young Kim (KOR) | 69-72-67-74 | |
