Kung, Munoz to meet for Match-Play crown
Taiwan's Candie Kung and Spain's Azahara Munoz advanced to Sunday's championship final of the $1.5 million LPGA Sybase Match-Play Championship with semifinal triumphs over American rivals.
Kung, ranked 49th, defeated 37th-ranked US veteran Vicky Hurst 2 and 1 while 19th-rated Munoz ousted 15th-ranked Morgan Pressel by the same margin early Sunday ahead of the title showdown at Hamilton Farm Golf Club in Gladstone, New Jersey.
Kung seeks her first LPGA victory since 2008 while Munoz seeks her first tour crown.
Munoz won the final three holes to eliminate Pressel, who had not won an LPGA event since 2008.
Pressel won the par-5 second and fifth holes with birdies while Munoz won the par-3 third with a birdie. Pressel won the par-4 ninth with a birdie but the Spaniard closed the gap by winning the 12th with a bogey.
Munoz birdied the 15th to square the match and Pressel dropped the par-3 16th and par-4 17th with bogeys to send Munoz into the final.
Kung won back-to-back holes with a birdie at the second and a par at the third, only to have Hurst take the next two holes with a birdie and a par. But the Asian standout birdied the par-4 sixth and never surrendered the lead.
Kung closed the front nine with a par to win the hole but Hurst won the 10th with a par. Kung responded by winning the par-5 11th with a par and taking the par-3 12th with a birdie.
Hurst birdied the par-4 13th to win the hole but Kung took the par-4 14th when Hurst bogeyed. Hurst answered with back-to-back birdies to win the par-4 15th and par-3 16th only to have Kung win the 17th with a birdie to close out the victory.
