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Ko wins first LPGA event, Wie ties for 23rd in return from surgery

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jin Young Ko of South Korea kissed her trophy after winning the LPGA KEB HanaBank Championship.

INCHEON, South Korea >> Honolulu’s Michelle Wie tied for 23rd in her first LPGA tournament since her appendix was removed.

Wie finished 5 under at the KEB Hana Bank Championship today. She shot an even 72 in the final round and finished 14 shots behind winner Jin Young Ko of South Korea.

Wie withdrew from the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open in late August to undergo emergency surgery to remove her appendix.

Ko, who had been two strokes in front overnight, bogeyed two of the first three holes at the Ocean Course before carding six birdies for a 68 and an overall 19-under total of 269.

“After I made the two bogeys I had a really long chat with my caddie,” Ko said. “He kept reminding me that being nervous was quite natural, that I needed to accept those nerves. I kept reminding myself of that.”

Sung Hyun Park, seeking her third LPGA Tour victory of the year and the chance to take over at the top of the Rolex Rankings for the first time, was denied both goals after closing with a 68 and finishing two shots behind Ko.

Park played flawless golf over the first 13 holes with four birdies, but a three-putt bogey at the 14th effectively halted her title bid.

“Although I didn’t win, I think I had a really solid, good round,” said Park. “It’s not easy to lower your score in the final group of the championship, and I managed to get a four-under round.

In Gee Chun, playing with compatriots Park and Ko in the final grouping, finished in third after carding a final round 69.

Carlota Ciganda, who won last year’s LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship in a playoff with Alison Lee, tied for eighth with a final-round 72.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report

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