(24 October 2011 – Yang Mei, Taoyuan, Taiwan)
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Rolex World No. 1 Yani Tseng made it seven LPGA titles for the year and ten overall with an emphatic victory at the Sunrise LPGA Taiwan Championship in Yang Mei, Taoyuan, Taiwan. Tseng shot a bogey-free final round of 6-under par 66 to finish at 16-under par. Her margin of victory was five shots over Spain’s Azahara Munoz and Korea’s Amy Yang.
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rnHeading into the final round Tseng held a two-stroke lead over Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist with Munoz a further shot back in third. In the end, it was all about Yani in her home country. At one stage during the coverage, ALPG President, Sandra Mackenzie commented, “They’re hanging out of the trees here today,” such were the huge crowds.
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rnNordqvist briefly went with Tseng with both players making the turn in 4-under par for the day, as did Munoz. So, by the time they teed off on the 10th hole, the status quo prevailed; Tseng at 14-under par, two shots ahead of Nordqvist with Munoz a further shot back in third. Amy Yang had also played the front nine in 4-under par to move with four shots of the World No.1.
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rnThe back nine played more difficult than the front nine and the players were finding birdies difficult to come by. Nordqvist faltered first with bogeys at the 10th and 11th holes to effectively ruin her chances. She would go on to record one more bogey, posting a 1-under par 71 to finish in a tie for 4th.
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rnMunoz, last year’s Rolex Rookie of the Year, was playing solid golf but couldn’t find any birdies to make up ground on Tseng. She finally found one on the 16th but quickly gave it back at the next hole and by then was playing for second. In front of her, Yang had made a birdie at the final hole to move to 11-under meaning needed a par to tie her for second. She managed that to post her best performance in her short LPGA career. She also moved to 22nd on the 2011 Money List with US$479,747.00 in season earnings.
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rnYang’s tie for runner-up was the third time in 12 months that she has finished as runner-up in an LPGA event. After winning the Ladies Masters in 2006 at the age of 16, Yang has won twice on the Ladies European Tour (in 2008) but since then has concentrated her time in the US. A win should not be too far away.
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rnIn saying all that, the tournament was put on because of Yani and it became all about Yani on the final day. After six straight pars to start the back nine, she finished the tournament in style with birdies at the 16th and the 18th holes, whipping the crowd into a frenzy with her finishing birdie. The victory marked Tseng&aposs 12th LPGA Tour win during her short three years on Tour and this week&aposs victory reigns close to her heart.
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rn"It&aposs incredible," said Tseng. “I wish this year would never end. I wish I could win more tournaments. I have two tournaments left, and I will do my best and I&aposm really happy what I did this year, and so keep learning and get some more experience and try to make more history.”
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rnWith her seventh LPGA Tour title this season, Tseng joins an illustrious category along with Babe Zaharias (twice), Kathy Whitworth (7 times), Beth Daniel, Annika Sorenstam (4 times), Karrie Webb and Lorena Ochoa (twice) who have all notched seven LPGA Tour victories in the same season.
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rnLindsey Wright was the best of the Australian players, finishing in a tie for 42nd at 5-over par. Katherine Hull (T65), Sarah-Jane Smith (83rd) and Sarah Kemp (89th) also played in the tournament.