Yang clinches LPGA Tour Championship
South Korea's Amy Yang claimed the biggest victory of her career on Sunday, outdueling Japan's Nasa Hataoka down the stretch to win the LPGA Tour Championship in Florida.
The 34-year-old Florida-based Yang carded a six-under-par 66 to complete a three-shot victory at the Tiburon Golf Club in Naples and earn the $2 million first prize.
"I still can't believe I did it," said Yang, whose four prior LPGA titles all came in Asia.
Hataoka had been at the top of the leaderboard since the opening round, and went into Sunday's sharing the lead alongside Yang after shooting a seven-under-par 65 on Saturday.
But after going through the first 54 holes of the tournament without shooting a single bogey, Hataoka finally blinked when it mattered most in Sunday's tense back nine shootout with Yang.
The two women were level on 25 under heading to the par-three 16th, and it looked as if they would remain tied at the top after Yang missed a long putt for birdie and the solo lead.
Yet Hataoka bogeyed after missing her short par putt to leave Yang one shot clear with two to play.
Yang said she was "really nervous" as they dueled down the stretch, knowing that Hataoka could seize the momentum at any moment.
"I had no idea where this was going," Yang said. "All I could do was just stick to my game and trust it."
The Korean then turned the screw on the par-five 17th. Both players were left with tricky third shots after seeing their seconds miss the green.
Yang though produced a sublime third shot, her chip for eagle lipping out to leave herself with a short putt for birdie.
Hataoka's chip left her with an awkward birdie chance which she duly missed.
Yang coolly rolled in her birdie to leave her two shots clear going to 18, and from there she never looked like slipping up, nailing her second to within eight feet for another birdie chance.
Hataoka missed her birdie putt from off the green, giving Yang three putts from eight feet to seal victory.
In the end the world number 36 only needed one putt, rolling in the birdie to finish in style before being doused in champagne by friends and fellow players.
The moment was especially satisfying in the wake of injury concerns that Yang feared could cut her season, if not her career, short.
"Throughout my career I went through so many ups and downs, and especially recent injury," she said, adding that she was also pleased to hang on for the win after coming up short while in contention.
"I had some finishes close to winning and end up finishing top five, top 10, and I really didn't want that to happen today," she said.
"Beginning of the round I felt pretty nervous and I doubt myself ... but I stayed strong throughout the round really well. This is very meaningful."
Yang finished with a 27 under 72-hole aggregate 261, while Hataoka was three back in second place alongside Alison Lee of the United States, who shot a closing 66.
World number one Lilia Vu finished six shots off the lead on 21 under for the tournament after a seven-under-par final round, with Thailand's Atthaya Thitikul in fifth on 20 under after finishing with a six-under-par 66.
(责任编辑:行业动态)
-
How much will PCB's Champions Cup mentors be paid?
ListentoarticleThe Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed five distinguished mentors for the upc ...[详细] -
节后汽车检查不可少七天的春节大假,自驾游无疑是有车族缓解工作压力最好的方式,自驾游结束后,车主虽然放松了,爱车却“疲惫”了。对此,车主给长途跋涉之后的爱车来一次细心呵护是非常有必要的。“足底按摩”—— ...[详细]
-
雅安市第三届人民代表大会第一次会议于2012年2月3日选举杨长云侗族)为雅安市人民检察院检察长,须依法报经四川省人民检察院检察长提请四川省人民代表大会常务委员会批准。雅安市第三届人民代表大会第一次会议 ...[详细]
-
雅安日报讯近日,天全县召开全县护林防火大会,要求各乡镇认真贯彻落实护林防火预案,加强应急队伍建设等工作。近期,正是春季护林防火工作的关键时期,天全县深入宣传动员,确保护林防火宣传时时抓,防火知识进农家 ...[详细]
-
近日,雅安市首届“文轩教育”校园足球精英夏令营顺利闭营。活动以市级联赛冠军队伍为班底,精英选手作为补充,遴选120名足球运动员、30名领队教练员参与,活动为期6天,共设置6个组别。市教育局相关负责人介 ...[详细]
-
雅安日报讯近日,记者从市委农工办获悉,雅安市第二届市级示范农民专业合作经济组织评选正在组织筹备,请自愿参加此次评选活动的农民专业合作组织提前做好准备。据了解,参加雅安市第二届市级示范农民专业合作经济组 ...[详细]
-
精彩PK!红荔奖营销推广类(区域公用品牌)初赛评审会在梅州成功举行
精彩PK!红荔奖营销推广类区域公用品牌)初赛评审会在梅州成功举行_南方+_南方plus8月13日,由广东省农业农村厅指导,广东省农业对外经济与农民合作促进中心、广东省农业农村短视频制作推广中心主办的中 ...[详细] -
邹映池:用仙湖茶烹出茶农的甘甜生活 |“红荔奖”典型人物类赛道参赛作品展播⑩_南方+_南方plus近日,由广东省农业农村厅指导,广东省农业对外经济与农民合作促进中心、广东省农业农村短视频制作推广中心主 ...[详细]
-
Apple's iPhone 17 will come with a huge RAM upgrade, report claims
Apple's iPhone 16 is due to launch in two weeks, but we're already seeing rumors about its successor ...[详细] -
节后洗车店生意火爆雅安日报讯1月28日下午,刚从绵阳自驾归来的市民魏超终于在市区城后路一家洗车店找到了洗车空位。他告诉记者,他跑了不下十家洗车店,每家都爆满。魏超并没有夸大其词,记者在走访中发现,节后 ...[详细]