An Na-rin plays a shot on the eighth hole during the final round of the LPGA Tour Standard Portland Classic at Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland, Oregon, on Monday. [AFP]
An Na-rin plays a shot on the eighth hole during the final round of the LPGA Tour Standard Portland Classic at Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland, Oregon, on Monday. [AFP]

An Na-rin finished in the top five at the LPGA Tour Standard Portland Classic, which carried a $2 million purse.

An carded four birdies and one bogey for a 3-under-par 69 in the final round Monday at Columbia Edgewater Country Club (par 72) in Portland, Oregon, finishing at 16-under-par 272 to share fifth place.

It was An's first top-five finish on the LPGA Tour since she tied for fifth at the CME Group Tour Championship on Nov. 21, 2024 — a gap of roughly one year and nine months. An joined the LPGA Tour in 2022 and has yet to claim a victory, and she had not recorded a single top-10 finish this season before Monday.

Entering the final round in sole fourth place, three strokes off the co-leaders, An surged into contention with three consecutive birdies on holes 7 (par 5), 8 (par 3) and 9 (par 4). On the ninth, she drained a birdie putt of more than 5 meters.

An dropped a shot with a bogey on the par-4 11th but bounced back with a birdie on the par-4 14th, holing a putt from more than 15 meters. That birdie moved her back to fifth place, and she could not gain any further strokes under par over the remaining holes to close out the tournament.

Jeeno Thitikul, winner of the LPGA Tour Standard Portland Classic, poses beside the trophy. [AFP]
Jeeno Thitikul, winner of the LPGA Tour Standard Portland Classic, poses beside the trophy. [AFP]

World No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand claimed the title with a final score of 22-under-par 266. Starting the day in third place, two strokes off the lead, Thitikul fired an eagle, eight birdies and two bogeys for an 8-under-par 64 to edge co-runners-up Chanettee Wannasaen and Arpichaya Ubol — both of Thailand — by one stroke and collect the $300,000 winner's check.

Sofia Schubert of the United States, who began the final round sharing first place with Ubol, finished fourth. Celine Boutier of France and Pajaree Anannarukarn of Thailand joined An in a tie for fifth.

South Korea's Lee So-mi, Jeon Ji-won and Choi Woon-jung all finished at 14-under-par 274 to share 10th place. Choi Hye-jin, who had been in second place through two rounds, closed at 11-under-par 277 to tie for 20th. Ryu Hae-ran, who has won two major championships this season, finished at 10-under-par 278 to tie for 25th.


yjc@heraldcorp.com