Golf: Lee chides himself after third-place finish

Danny Lee hits a tee shot on the 7th hole during the final round of the OHL Classic at the Mayakoba El Camaleon Golf Club. Photo / Getty

Danny Lee had mixed emotions after missing his chance to become the first Kiwi to win on the PGA tour since Michael Campbell's US Open triumph in 2005.

Lee finished in a share of third place at the OHL Classic on the PGA Tour in Mayakoba, Mexico.

The 24-year-old began the final round in a share of fifth place but jumped into the outright lead when he made seven birdies in a row to make the turn in seven-under par 29.

The former US Amateur Champion faded on the demanding back nine at the El Camaleon Golf Club as he made three bogeys coming home to sign for a four-under par 67 and finished in a share of third place.

Lee finished on a 15-under total, two shots back from American Charley Hoffman, who played superbly on the closing stretch to secure his third PGA Tour title.

"I'm not happy with the way I finished," said Lee after his round. "But the back nine on this golf course is very tough and you kind of have to hit perfect golf shots to make birdies on the back nine which I didn't."

Lee admitted that he found closing out his first win on the PGA Tour a real challenge.

"I think I was a little bit nervous and I was rushing myself. I should have taken a little bit more time, but there's always next week and next year I'm looking forward to playing all of the events in 2015."

Lee's top-three finish sees him climb 53 places on the Fed Ex Cup money-list to No 18 and puts him in a great place to qualify for most of the PGA Tour events next year.

He will take huge confidence from the world-class stretch of golf where he poured in seven consecutive birdies in nonchalant fashion.

Meanwhile, world No 3 Lydia Ko has celebrated a successful week with another top 10 finish on the LPGA Tour.

The 17-year-old, who last week was named as the youngest winner of the LPGA Rookie of the Year award, has finished in a share of ninth place at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Mexico.

The four-time LPGA Tour winner had rounds of 68, 69, 74 and 72 to finish on a five-under total, 10 shots back from Shanshan Feng (China) and Christina Kim (USA) before Kim prevailed in the playoff.

The former NZ Women's Open Champion, who remains in third position on the CME Money-List, has now recorded two victories, two runners-up, and 10 additional top-10 finishes in her dream rookie season this year.