Champ Jang blows everyone with her infectious energy
South Korean sparkles as she storms to victory at Serapong
The methodical, the mechanical, the broody, the bland, the cool, the smooth and the savvy.
Just when you thought you'd seen every type of winner in the previous eight editions of the HSBC Women's Champions, up stepped South Korean Jang Ha Na to blow everyone away with her fascinatingly infectious energy.
We are not talking about how she made light work of Sentosa Golf Club's Serapong Course, after she romped to a four-stroke victory with a 19-under-par 269 yesterday, just one behind Lorena Ochoa's record set at the Tanah Merah Country Club's Garden course in 2008.
"Play the music, please," the 23-year-old urged local percussion group Bloco Singapura at the victory ceremony on the 18th green.
VICTORY DANCE
She then repeated her victory dance, which was inspired by Beyonce's performance at this year's Super Bowl.
Hamming it up in her lucky yellow top and floral skirt, she shook her bon bon, pranced and high-fived all-comers around the perimeter of the green in a special, spontaneous moment.
"I watched the Super Bowl half-time show and it looked really nice... So I made a top-secret celebration with the song Single Ladies," said the fourth-year Physical Education Yonsei University undergraduate.
"I'm single right now too... I like Adam Scott, he's my type."
Apart from her solid game and entertaining jiggy, everything about Jang is unrehearsed.
She was bubbly all week, even when three strokes off the lead after the first round.
She even communicated with good friend, flight-mate and runner-up Pornanong Phatlum in Thai during the final round.
"Not scared, never. Golf course, no. People, no. New word, no. Maybe just mosquito bites because they are itchy... And my skirt, which is a little short," was her hilarious reply, when asked if she had any fears.
Not even a bogey on the par-four 11th could stop Jang from charging as she rebounded with three straight birdies, the pick of which was a show-stopping 50-foot putt on the par-three 14th.
She put the cherry on top with a delightful eagle at the 18th to make a convincing case that she is the female golfer to look out for this year, as she is projected to surge five spots to world No. 5.
Jang was refreshingly candid about her three-wood approach at the 18th, when she explained: "I was aiming for the right side of the bunker and I missed.
"I was saying, don't hit the tree, don't hit the tree and it went straight for the flag and landed six feet left off the flag, oh my God, very, very easy eagle."
"Comfortable" was her favourite word of the week and, with two wins and finishes within the top 11 in all five of her LPGA Tour events this year, Jang has had to revise her two-win target for 2016.
FIRST TITLE
Last month, she won her first LPGA Tour title at the Coates Golf Championship and, in January, she became the first LPGA golfer to make a hole-in-one on a par-four when she landed an albatross on the 218-yard eighth hole during the third round of the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic.
"I really wanted a car for the hole-in-one, but there was no such prize," said Jang, who picked up US$225,000 ($309,000) for winning in Singapore.
"So now, my father and I are aiming for two more wins. When I win my third one, I'm asking him for a car. I would love a Lamborghini, but I think I'll get a Jaguar.
"I love fast cars, but I will be dangerous in them."
LEADING SCORES (PAR 72):
269: Jang Ha Na (KOR) 70-66-68-65
273: Pornanong Phatlum (THA) 70- 67-68-68
277: Amy Yang (KOR) 71-67-68-71
278: Candie Kung (TPE) 67-72- 70-69, Ariya Jutanugarn (THA) 73-69-66-70, Chella Choi (KOR) 70-70-68-70, Choi Na Yeon (KOR) 70-70-68-70, Lee Mi Rim (KOR) 69- 67-70-72
279: Gerina Piller (USA) 70-68- 73-68, Brooke Henderson (CAN) 70-71-67-71, Stacy Lewis (USA) 71- 69-68-71, Suzann Pettersen (NOR) 68-69-71-71
280: Sandra Gal (GER) 70-74-69-67, Feng Shanshan (CHN) 69-69-72-70
281: Mika Miyazato (JPN) 68-70-75- 68, Lydia Ko (NZL) 71-74-67-69, Kim Hyo Joo (KOR) 70-72-69-70, Paula Creamer (USA) 72-67-71-71.
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