Golf-Teenager Korda matches Dad by winning Australian Open

Feb 12 (Reuters) - The Korda family once again boasted an Australian Open champion on Sunday after golfer Jessica won her maiden LPGA title in the same city where her tennis-playing father Petr claimed his only grand slam in 1998.

The 18-year-old American, in just her second year on the elite women's tour, had started the day a shot ahead of the field but prevailed only after a six-way playoff at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club.

Korda sank a birdie putt on the second playoff hole to see off the challenge of Americans Brittany Lincicome and Stacy Lewis, South Koreans Hee Kyung-seo and So Yeon-ryu as well as Paraguay's Julieta Granada.

Czech Petr Korda won his only major tennis title by beating Chilean Marcelo Rios in three sets in the 1998 final at Melbourne Park and reached number two in the world as a result.

(Editing by Patrick Johnston)

(For the sports blog Left Field go to: blogs.reuters.com/sport))

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