Koreans fail to match milestone winning run

South Korean contenders came up short of matching a milestone winning streak on the LPGA Tour on Sunday in Oregon.

Kim In-kyung lost to Austin Ernst on the first hole of their sudden death playoff at the Portland Classic at the par-72 Columbia Edgewater Country Club.

Kim was trying to become the fourth consecutive South Korean winner on the LPGA Tour. Three other South Koreans, Lee Mi-rim, Park In-bee and Ryu, had taken the past three LPGA tournaments.

The last time South Koreans won on the tour for four weeks in a row was in 2010. Kim was one of seven South Koreans in the top 10.

Kim and Ernst ended the regulation tied at 14-under 274. Ernst, former NCAA individual champ, was 16-under through 16 holes thanks to five birdies and an eagle, but bogeyed the two final holes. Kim put together a bogey-free final round of 68. (Yonhap)