GYEONGJU, South Korea -- South Korea's Hong Jin-joo shot a 2-under 70 Sunday to claim the Kolon-Hana Bank Championship on her first attempt at a U.S. LPGA Tour event.

Hong, one of 12 Korean LPGA players in the field, raced into the lead Saturday and, despite posting her worst score Sunday after double bogeying the 18th, maintained a three-stroke lead to finish with an 11-under 205.

"It wasn't that easy throughout the game but I am glad that I made it," said Hong, the fifth South Korean to claim the title in as many years.

"I really practiced hard," she said. "I think (last winter in Orlando) was the best practice I've ever had. The result of the practice didn't come out in the first half of this year, but I am happy that it came out in the second half."

Last year's British Open winner Jeong Jang shot a 68 to finish three strokes back, and 23-time LPGA winner Pak Se-Ri (67) closed the gap to finish third at 210 at the Mauna Ocean Golf Club in Gyeongju.

Shin Ji-yai (68) was one stroke adrift and tied for fourth with Karine Icher of France (72). U.S. Solheim Cup star Paula Creamer had a share of sixth with Hur Mi-jung, another South Korean, after they shot a 72 and 73 to stand at 211.

Defending champion Lee Jee-young, who like Hong clinched her maiden win here last year when the same tournament was held at the Nine Bridges Club on Jeju Island, had to settle for joint eighth after posting 73s in the last two rounds.

Hong, 23, also won her first Korea LPGA tournament last month at the SK EnClean Solux Invitational by carving a seven-stroke lead.

She faltered Sunday on the par-4 9th for bogey, but five birdies either side of that on holes 2, 7, 8, 13 and 17 gave her a comfortable cushion that even her closing double bogey couldn't puncture.

Wegman's LPGA winner Jang earned her 12th top-10 finish of the year. She made a late challenge with five birdies to one bogey after dropping three shots in the final three holes Saturday.

"I was five strokes back from the leader and that's pretty tough. She was playing 4-under or 5-under and she had good conditions, I didn't think I was going to break her today," she said. "I started a little bit unstable in the beginning but I played confidently. Especially iron shots and putting was great."

South Koreans have now seized 11 LPGA titles this season.

Pak, a legendary figure in South Korea who won the same event in 2002, made the biggest surge of the weekend after posting a first-round 74 to help cement her comeback. Pak won her third McDonalds LPGA Championship in June.

©The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.