KUALA LUMPUR — South Korea's Park Inbee edged out defending champion and tournament leader Choi Na-Yeon in a thrilling final day Sunday at the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia to win with a 15-under 269. The world No. 6 player kept her cool to become the third South Korean to win the tournament in as many years when she closed out with a four-under 67, defeating compatriot and friend Choi by two strokes overall. World No. 4 Choi, who led from the opening day, could only finish with a level par 71 Sunday, conceding the title of the $1.9 million competition at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club to Park. Park, who had slowly but surely been closing the gap on Choi, finally took the lead on the par-4 13th when she had a tap in for a birdie while Choi could only par. Less than 15 minutes later that lead became two, when Park's irons came perfectly into play to set up another tap-in for a birdie. Choi, who had a chance for a birdie, fluffed her lines and failed to put pressure on her compatriot, leaving her two behind going into the final two holes. On the 17th hole, Park increased her lead to three after Choi crumbled and double-bogeyed the 17th, despite Park also bogeying the treacherous par-3. On the final hole, Park had a horrendous tee shot but salvaged a bogey to claim the top prize. Australia's Karrie Webb finished third on 272, while a charging Catriona Matthew of Scotland was fourth a stroke back. A third South Korean, Ryu So-yeon, was fifth. Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn was the best amateur, finishing tied for ninth on seven-under 277. Liang secures China Masters In Beijing, local favorite Liang Wenchong sank a 12-foot birdie putt on the fifth hole of a sudden-death playoff to overtake South Korea's Y.E. Yang and win the Nanshan China Masters Sunday. Yang scored a two-under-par fourth-round 69 to overnight leader Liang's 73 to leave both at eight under for the tournament. They then matched each other shot-for-shot as they played the 18th five times to try to settle the OneAsia $1 million event. Neither player has won on any tour since each claiming two OneAsia titles in 2010. For some time it seemed that Australian Aaron Townsend (72) might pip them both in the final round. But Townsend stuttered down the finish, and missed the playoff by one stroke after two bogeys in the last five holes. Louis Oosthuizen was three shots off the pace after a final-round 67. Mallinger maintains lead In California, American John Mallinger, winless in seven years on the PGA Tour, fired a one-under 70 Saturday to maintain the lead after the third round of the $5 million Frys.com Open. The 33-year-old had a 15-under 198 total at the CordeValle golf course. He equaled the course record 62 in the second round after opening with a 66 on Thursday. Sweden's Jonas Blixt was second after a 66, while Americans Charles Howell and Jason Kokrak were another stroke back at 12 under. Howell shot a 66, and Kokrak fired a 67. Fiji's Vijay Singh and Brazil's Alexandre Rocha were 11 under after both shot 66. Greg Owen (68), Scott Dunlap (70), Jhonattan Vegas (71), Danny Lee (67) and Russell Knox (65) share seventh at 10-under-par 203. — Agencies
