Ai first to do it back to back in 44 years

SINGAPORE – Ai Miyazato won the HSBC Champions on Sunday to become the first LPGA Tour player in 44 years to sweep the first two events of a season, closing with 3-under 69 for a two-stroke victory over Cristie Kerr.

Miyazato, the 24-year-old Japanese star who won the LPGA Thailand last week, took the lead with a birdie on the par-4 16th – a hole she played in 5 under for the week – and parred the final two holes to finish at 10 under on Tanah Merah’s Garden Course.

“This is obviously a great start for me,” Miyazato said. “I try to stay in the present in what I do and that’s really helping my game at the moment.”

A 15-time winner on the Japanese tour, Miyazato earned $195,000 for her third career LPGA Tour victory – all outside North America. She won the Evian Masters last year in France for her first LPGA Tour title.

Marilynn Smith was last player to win the first two events in a season, accomplishing the feat in 1966.

Miyazato, ranked 4th in the world, said she first began playing golf at age 4, following her two older brothers who are also professional golfers.

“My dad is my swing coach so my whole family plays golf,” she said.

Kerr birdied No. 16 to take the lead at 10 under, but bogeyed the final two holes for a 68. Jiyai Shin, the winner last year, closed with a 67 to tie for third at 7 under with Suzann Pettersen (69), Song-Hee Kim (67) and Yani Tseng (69).

Kerr’s troubles started on the 17th, when her tee shot sailed into the trees and left her battling local insects.

“I was standing in fire ants,” Kerr said of her second shot on 17. “I was playing great, but it was a disappointing finish.”

Juli Inkster, the 49-year-old Hall of Famer who began the round tied with Miyazato for the lead, shot a 74 to tie for ninth at 5 under.

Michelle Wie had a 70 to tie for 15th at 4 under.

Top-ranked Lorena Ochoa, tied for the first-round lead after a 68, closed with rounds of 79, 73 and 72 to tie for 38th at 4 over. She won the inaugural event in 2008 and was the last player to win back-to-back tournaments, capturing four in a row that year.