SANTA CLARITA — Oak Park High sophomore Danielle Kang finished third at the American Junior Golf Association Hanmi Bank Junior Open on Thursday at Robinson Ranch Golf Club.

Kang shot final-round 7-over 79, leaving her with a three-day total of 225.

Cypress' Lalita Patipaksiri held off Kang, who was making a run at the lead when the pair hit the ninth hole. But a triple-bogey eight at the par-5 hole ended any chances of a comeback. Kang struggled on the hole after pushing her drive in the thick brush off the right side of the fairway.

"After today I don't like trees much," Kang said. "Stuff happens. It (her ball hitting the tree) was just bad luck, what can you do. I had two triples without losing a golf ball."

Patipaksiri won the event with a total of 1-over 217, her first AJGA win.

Kang felt shaky with her ball striking early in the round, but she said she was able to figure out what was wrong, but she struggled with her distance control all day.

"I would hit shots perfect but they would just go too far," Kang said. "I'm 150 yards out, uphill with the wind in my face. I hit a 6-iron and it blew the green. What was I supposed to do, hit an 8-iron?"

Moorpark High senior Brent Duclos, who fired a 1-under 71 in Wednesday's second round, said the wind was a major factor in play during Thursday's final round. Duclos, who shot a final-round 82, said course played at least five strokes harder.

"It was probably a three-club wind," Duclos said. "Between that and the pins being tucked in a lot of tough places, it was very difficult.

The boys' division went to a three-way playoff between Jordan Lee, Rak Cho and Jake Sarnoff. All three ended regulation with a total of 1-under 215. Sarnoff made bogey on the first playoff hole and was eliminated. Lee and Cho played two more holes, before Cho, who hails from Brea, won the title with a 15-foot par putt. He made par despite hitting his approach shot in the water.

"I was nervous," Cho said of the playoff. "After I hit it in the water I thought we were going to have to go to the next hole, but luckily I made the putt for par."

St. Bonaventure senior Adam Carter and Royal High senior Danny Katz were the top finishers from Ventura County, each with a total of 226.

"I got off to a really good start, but after that it was a struggle," said Katz, who shot 77 on Thursday. "This was my first AJGA event. It's a lot different than (high school). I shot 69 the first day and it didn't matter. It's three days, so it's like a marathon. You have to play well all three days."

Jason Rosenkranz of Westlake High fired a 2-under 70 in the final round to finish at 228. Duclos was next at 230, followed by Westlake's Marshall Colby at 237, Royal's Shane Blanchard at 240 and Westlake's Cole Seeger at 246. Robin Lee of Camarillo finished with a 243 in the girls' division.