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Rookie Lee Mi-rim wins first LPGA title

August 11, 2014
Lee Mi-rim of South Korea, left, is doused with water by other players and friends as Inbee Park, right, walks off the green after the second playoff hole of the final round during the Meijer LPGA Classic golf tournament at Blythefield Country Club, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2014, in Belmont, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Lee Mi-rim of South Korea, left, is doused with water by other players and friends as Inbee Park, right, walks off the green after the second playoff hole of the final round during the Meijer LPGA Classic golf tournament at Blythefield Country Club, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2014, in Belmont, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

(Yonhap) — Rookie Lee Mi-rim claimed her maiden LPGA Tour victory in a playoff at the inaugural Meijer LPGA Classic on Sunday.

Lee defeated Park Inbee on the second playoff hole with a birdie at the par-71 Blythefield Country Club in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

In her previous 13 starts in 2014, Lee had recorded just one top-10 finish and had missed the cut four times. The unheralded 23-year-old has three Korean LPGA victories to her credit.

Lee and Park ended the regulation tied at 14-under 270. Park began the day leading Lee by one stroke at 13-under, but shot a 1-under 70 in the final round with two birdies and a bogey.

Lee picked up four birdies against two bogeys for a round of 2-under 69. She pulled even with Park at 14-under with a birdie on the par-4 15th and closed out the regulation with three straight pars to force the playoff.

The two went back to the par-4 18th for the first playoff hole and both had pars. Back on the short par-4 17th, Lee reached the greenside bunker off the tee and put her second shot to within four feet of the pin.

Park left the second shot well back of the hole, and her birdie attempt grazed the right side of the cup and missed. Lee then stepped up to drain the clinching putt for the victory.

Over four rounds, Lee averaged 280.38 yards off the tee, more than 20 yards longer than Park.

Mirim Lee of South Korea drives on the seventh hole during the final round of the Meijer LPGA Classic golf tournament at Blythefield Country Club, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2014, in Belmont, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Lee Mi-rim of South Korea drives on the seventh hole during the final round of the Meijer LPGA Classic golf tournament at Blythefield Country Club, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2014, in Belmont, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)