The win was her first on the LPGA Tour and she pocketed $500,000 US for the victory, the richest first-place prize in LPGA Tour history. That's big for someone who had only made $87,258 so far in the 2005 season.
"It's been a great week," said Baena. "I have no words. That's almost what I've made my entire career. I made $30,000 last year and here I made $500,000 in a week."
Baena established a 3-up lead on the back nine, but Lee never relented. At the 15th, Baena missed a 25-footer for birdie, while Lee holed a 12-footer to win the hole and trail 2-down.
Marisa Baena celebrates after winning the Women's World Match Play Championship on Sunday. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
Lee, who hit first on almost every hole because Baena is longer off the tee, hit her approach to 15 feet at the 16th. Baena was 20 feet short of the hole and came up two feet short with her birdie putt. Lee once again holed the tester and now her deficit was only 1-down with two to play.
Lee looked to be in trouble at the par-three 17th when she missed the green left. Baena hit a seven-iron 15 feet short of the hole, then watched Lee chip to eight feet. Baena had a chance to win the title, but her putt never touched the hole. Lee drained the par save to stay 1-down and force the final to reach No. 18.
At the 18th, both players found the fairway off the tee and Lee came up 40 feet short with a seven-wood. Baena landed 25 feet over the flag with her second.
Lee hit a tentative putt that left her six feet for par. Baena needed two putts to win the title and she lagged her birdie try to tap-in range. Lee conceded the match and title to Baena.
Baena ousted Natalie Gulbis (No. 5), Grace Park (No. 37), Jennifer Rosales (No. 21) and Karrie Webb (No. 29) en route to the semifinals, where she beat Candie Kung (No. 8), 2-up.
Lee defeated Hee-Won Han (No. 18), Kim Saiki (No. 50), Liselotte Neumann (No. 31) and Pat Hurst (No. 39), and Wendy Ward (No. 14) to make the final match.
In the consolation match, Ward overcame a 3-down deficit to defeat Kung, 2 & 1. Ward ran in a pair of 15-foot birdie putts at 15 and 17 to close the door on Kung, who bested No. 1 seed Annika Sorenstam in the quarter-finals on Saturday.
