(25 May 2009 – Corning, New York)
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World No.2 Yani Tseng notched her first win in a regular tour event this morning with a one-stroke victory in the 31st and final edition of the LPGA Corning Classic. Her only other LPGA title came in the second Major last year, the 2008 McDonald’s LPGA Championship. America&aposs World No. 5 Paula Creamer and Korea&aposs Soo-Yun Kang finished in a tie for runner-up.
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rnTseng started the final round in 3rd place, just a shot behind Kang and Japan Mika Miyazato, and looking to make amends for six runner-up and two third placings since the start of 2008. She had also registered 5 Top-10’s this season before this event. After a bogey at the 1st hole Tseng holed a 14-footer for eagle at the second and birdied the 3rd from 6-feet to get to 18-under par. However, she couldn’t keep that momentum going and made pars all the way through to the 11th hole. Meanwhile, Kang had made a good start of her own with three birdies on the front nine to take a 2-shot advantage into the back nine at 20-under par.
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rnKang’s lead was cut to one-shot after she bogeyed the 10th hole and she held this lead until Tseng played the 17th hole. She had just made back-to-back birdies ahead of Kang at 16 and 17 to move to 21-under. Kang also birdied the 16th to get to that mark. Standing on the 18th tee with Tseng in the clubhouse, Kang needed par to force a playoff. She was a little wayward with her second shot, leaving herself 60-feet to get down in two putts to force ‘extra-time’. She lagged her first putt to 4-feet but missed the par putt leaving Tseng as the final player to hold aloft the Steuben Bowl.
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rnAfter her round, an overwhelmed Tseng could barely speak saying “Thanks to Corning for putting on such a great tournament for 31 years.” She also made reference to her many near-misses saying, “I’ve been waiting for a year to win a tournament. I’ve been fourth and second like seven, eight times and now I finally win a tournament. And I wrote my speech and now finally I can speak on the green and tell you how I feel.”
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rnLindsey Wright and Katherine Hull were the best placed ALPG Members, both finishing in a tie for 14th at 15-under par total 273. Hull went into the final round in a tie for 5th and looking to challenge for her second title but couldn’t make any inroads into the lead, posting 3 birdies and 2 bogeys for a final round 1-under par 71. Wright was looking for her first win starting the final day just a shot behind Hull in a tie for 11th. After a bogey at the first, she notched three birdies for another solid finish, her fifth Top-20 in her last six starts. Wendy Doolan (T32), Sarah Kemp (T39) and Rachel Hetherington (T65) were the other Members to make the cut.
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rnLooking ahead; the players have this week off in preparation for they get their final warm-up before the season’s second Major the following week. June 4-7 will see the staging of the US$1.7million LPGA State Farm Classic at Panther Creek Country Club in Springfield, Illinois.
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Photo by Anthony Powter – Yani Tseng.