NARITA, Japan, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Grace Park needed 22 holes Sunday before defeating Midori Yoneyama in the final of the World Ladies Match Play Championship.
Park, the LPGA Tour's 12th seed, birdied the fourth extra hole at Narita Golf Club to claim the $153,000 top prize. It was the third career victory and first since The Office Depot in January 2001 for the 23-year-old Korean.
After Park parred the 13th hole to square the final, she and Yoneyama halved the next eight holes.
Earlier Sunday, Park coasted to a 5 and 4 semifinal triumph over Sweden's Carin Koch, the LPGA's sixth seed. Saturday, Park rolled past Japan's Yuri Fudoh, 6 and 5.
Yoneyama also worked overtime in the semifinals, defeating Korea's Hee-Won Han in 19 holes. She settled for the $96,000 second prize.
Last year's final featured the world's best player in Annika Sorenstam, who won a thriller over Korea's Se Ri Pak. But Sorenstam and Pak were upset in the first round this year.
