Inbee Park-Stacy Lewis LPGA Tour rivalry heats up

Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning it may not be, but the most exciting rivalry in golf these days is that of Inbee Park and Stacy Lewis -- world Nos. 1 and 2, respectively -- going head to head Sunday in Taiwan.

Less than a week after surpassing Lewis for the top spot in women’s golf, and in the midst of vying with her for several season-ending honors on the LPGA Tour, Park bested her competitor by two shots at the LPGA Taiwan Championship. The 26-year-old from South Korea, who wed her swing coach Gi Hyeob-nam last month, laid to rest any concern that married life might interfere with her competitive nature.

“I think this will be my wedding gift for myself,” Park told reporters after shooting a final-round 1-under 71 to finish at 22-under for the week. “It’s a good feeling and maybe people said, ‘She’s not going to play as well as when she was not married,’ so I think we can put that wrong.’’

The win was Park’s third of the season and 12th overall. Lewis, with three Ws on her 2014 record as well, relished last week’s event and looked forward to exciting tilts down to the wire this year and into the future.

“I don’t think this is the last time we’ll be battling at the end of a tournament,” said Lewis, a 29-year-old originally from Ohio. “I think we’re both playing some really good golf right now. It’s unfortunate, I guess, for the fans it’s the end of the season, but we have a few tournaments left and hopefully we’ll do it again.’’

Heading down the stretch, with next month’s Mizuno Classic, Lorena Ochoa Invitational, and CME Group Tour Championship left to play, Lewis leads Park in points for player of the year, Race to the CME Globe, and in the races for low scoring average and earnings.

Lydia Ko, ranked No. 3 in the world, appropriately finished third in Taiwan, while Michelle Wie tied for 20th with two-time defending champion Suzann Pettersen and hometown favorite, Yani Tseng.