Meanwhile, Hee-Won had suddenly gotten very conservative, especially when she hit the water encrusted final few holes. No longer aiming for the pins, she was instead hitting her irons quite a distance from the hole to 'safe' locations. But the problem with that strategy is it places a big strain on one's putting, and though she managed to make par saves on 15 and 16, she finally ran out of luck on 17, where her tee shot, which barely reached the green, proved too far from the hole for her to put in in two shots. And so she dropped into a tie with Ward at 17 under, and Ward had a makeable birdie putt on 18 to move into the lead.

Hee-Won and Candie Kung take a break during Round 3
Reuters/John Sommers II

Hee-Won Han waves during round 3
Reuters/John Sommers II

Fortunately for Han, Ward was not able to make that putt, but Hee-Won was not able to get her approach close on 18, and so had a 15 footer to win the event outright. It was unfortunate that it had to come to that, and even more unfortunate for Han that she was not able to make the birdie and thus was forced to go to extra innings to solve things.

Now, if it had ended like that, with Hee-Won giving up a three shot lead, falling into a tie, then losing a playoff, perhaps the Seoul Sisters committee (again, me and me alone), would have given pause about whether she deserved elevation into the most lofty status of Official Sisterhood. But Hee-Won showed she is made of sterner stuff, and she simply refused to give it away without a bigtime fight.

The first playoff hole was 18 again, as indeed it usually is. Ward hit a bad drive and missed the fairway, and since Hee-Won was going second, she had a chance to capitalize. Her drive wasn't great, but it did end up in the fairway. But her approach was lackluster, a bit of a pull, and she ended up in the rough behind the green. Ward then hit her approach, taking advantage of the curve of the green to roll her ball within about 6 feet of the flag. Things were looking very grim for Hee-Won!

Hee-Won did her part by chipping to within three feet, but now it was out of her hands. All Ward had to do was put a short putt in to win. This putt, however, was no walk in the park. It had some break to it. And miraculously, that proved enough to thwart Ward, who missed her birdie and tapped in for par. Now Hee-Won had to make her three footer for par. But given a chance again, she did so easily. On to hole #10, the second hole of the playoff.

This particular hole had proven difficult all day. Thanks to a far right pin placement, only 8 birdies had been registered there this Sunday. Hee-Won drove shorter and had the first approach shot. She could have aimed to the fat of the green and forced Ward to try to go for the pin, but Ward was in a better location on the fairway and had a good look at the flag. Hee-Won, meanwhile had 130 yards to the flag, and literally about 125 yards of water carry. She could not afford to be even slightly off. And she wasn't, hitting a stone cold perfect iron to four feet. Her fighting spirit has never been better in evidence than right at that moment. Now it was Ward's turn to answer, but though she had the closer and easier shot, she hit a lackluster iron that ended up staying in the rough behind the green.

Another fairway hit for Hee-Won
Reuters/John Sommers II