Na Yeon Choi Opens Her Bag

Just when everyone thought the Hana Bank • KOLON Championship 2009 would need to go to a playoff to decide the winner, second-year LPGA Tour player Na Yeon Choi birdied the 72nd hole of regulation and was crowned the champion. The South Korean native was 5-under-par for the final round, and that turned out to be just good enough to beat a surging Yani Tseng and Maria Hjorth. With the win, Choi cashed in the $255,000 winner's check.

Choi (68-71-67=206) was bogey-free on Sunday and recorded five birdies on holes one, five, seven, 15 and 18, for an overall winning score of 10-under-par. Dropping in and out of the lead for much of the day, Choi survived blistering cold temperatures to earn her first win in her home country of South Korea on the LPGA Tour and in front of all her fans.

"It has been two years since I have won here in Korea," said Choi. "My parents weren't there then, but they were here this week, and that is really special. I was really surprised on how big the galleries were today. I felt bad for the other players, because the fans were cheering only for me."