Los Angeles – Nasa Hataoka fired an eagle and four birdies in a four-under par 67 on Sunday to notch her sixth career LPGA title at the LA Open.
Japan’s Hataoka, who led by four entering the final round, finished with a 15-under total of 269.
That was one shot off the tournament record set by Canadian Brooke Henderson last year and gave her a five-stroke triumph over Australian Hannah Green, who carded a closing 68 for 274.
It was a particularly satisfying victory, coming a week after Hataoka missed the cut at the Lotte Championship in Hawaii.
The 23-year-old from Ibaraki Prefecture had four birdies and a bogey in the first seven holes at Wilshire Country Club.
She drilled a 35-foot eagle putt at the par-four 15th to lead by six shots so that a closing bogey was barely a blip.
Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom had five birdies without a bogey in a 66 that put her tied for third on 277 alongside 2019 LA champion Minjee Lee of Australia, who carded a 68, and South Korean star Park In-bee, who closed with a 70.
Japan’s Yuka Saso tied for 17th at 3-under, Ayaka Furue tied for 43rd at 2-over and 2019 Women’s British Open winner Hinako Shibuno tied for 63rd at 6-over.
World number one Ko Jin-young, who was tied atop the leader board with Hataoka on Saturday before a late quadruple bogey, closed with a four-over par 75 that left her tied for 21st.
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