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Park In-bee, the top-ranked player in the Women’s World Golf Rankings, won her first title of the 2014 season at the World Ladies Championship. She beat second-ranked Suzann Pettersen of Norway in a Ladies European Tour event held at the Blackstone Golf Course of Mission Hills in Haikou, China on Mar. 9.

In the final round, Park, the LPGA Tour player of the year in 2013, had a one-stroke lead over Pettersen through 10 holes until she seized control. She closed the round with a 6-under 67 for a five-shot victory over Pettersen who was tied for the lead early in the match, but ended up with a 72.

Park bogeyed twice, but made eight birdies, shaving 6 strokes off her score for the round. She seized solo possession of the lead after birdieing back-to-back holes. She finished at a total 24-under-par 268, beating Pettersen (19-under-par 273) by five strokes. Ryu So-yeon, another Korean golfer, finished third with a 16-under-par 276, while Minjee Lee, a Korean-Australian amateur, tied for fourth with a total 15-under-par 277.

Meanwhile, Park will tie the knot in September after the Evian Championship (Sept. 11-14), the final event of the season on the U.S. LPGA Tour. “I had intended to get married after finishing the entire 2014 season, but now I’ve decided to do it before it gets cold,” she said. She was awarded a sports medal of honor by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Mar. 11 in recognition of her outstanding achievement.