Tseng powers to LPGA Championship victory

Taiwan’s Yani Tseng turned the final round of the LPGA Championship into a rout, coming home 10-shots clear of her nearest challengers to become the youngest four-time Major winner in the Tour’s history.

Starting the day five clear, Tseng simply beat the Locust Hill course into submission to post a 19-under par winning score – a score which matched the best score in relation to par in a women’s major.

Tseng’s closing 66 blew away the opposition with American Morgan Pressel claiming second spot after a 71, with defending champion Cristie Kerr tied for third alongside Suzann Pettersen and Paula Creamer.

In addition to being her fourth Major win, it was Tseng’s eighth career LPGA Tour win, as well as being her second in succession and third win overall this season. It also means Tseng has won three of the last six Majors and she could complete a LPGA Grand Slam if she were to win the US Women’s Open.

No fairytale ending for Ochoa as Miyazato wins again

There was no fairytale end to Lorena Ochoa’s competitive career as the Mexican women’s number one failed to bow out with a win in the Tres Marias Championship. Ochoa, who is retiring from the sport to spend more time with her family, had won the event three time in the previous four renewals, but finished in sixth place this time after a closing 71 to finish on 12-under par.

The tournament honours went to Japan’s Ai Miyazato, who was winning for the third time on the LPGA this season. Miyazato closed with a six-under par 67 to finish the tournament on 19-under par and the player broke down in tears during the trophy ceremony as she paid tribute to Ochoa.

Wiping away tears, Miyazato said of Ochoa:

“I want to say thanks to Lorena … I really appreciate what she did for the LPGA and what she did for her country here in Mexico.”

“She is one of my best friends. I’m going to miss her.”

Miyazato won by one shot from Stacy Lewis, who finished with a 66 while Michelle Wie finished with a 68 to take third place.

Wie had started the final day one shot behind Miyazato but climbed into the lead – one shot ahead of Miyazato and Lewis – with an eagle on the par-4 ninth, but she couldn’t hold on and a double bogey on the par-3 13th dropped the young American player back to third place.

Despite Miyazato’s win, the day belonged to Ochoa, who played to the crowd throughout her final round. Ochoa won 27 tournaments during her career, including two majors and was Player of the Year on the LPGA four years running. She will bow out of the sport in top spot, but LPGA projections will place Ochoa behind Jiyai Shin this week, after Shin won in Japan on Sunday.

Miyazato wins again on LPGA Tour

Japan’s Ai Miyazato made it two wins from two tournaments when capturing the $1.3million HSBC Women’s Champions tournament in Singapore. Miyazato, who last week won the Honda PTT LPGA Thailand, was joint overnight leader with United States’ Juli Inkster but saw off that rival and the remainder of the field with a final round 69.

Miyazato’s round gave her a 10-under par total of 278 and claim the winner’s cheque of $195,000. But for a sticky start where she bogeyed the first two holes, Miyazaot could have been well clear of the field early as Inkster faltered but the Japanese star sound found her range and birdies at the fourth, fifth and ninth saw her back in the hunt.

Miyazato then bogeyed the tenth before after a trio of consecutive birdies put her back in front.

American Cristie Kerr became Miyazato’s closest challenger but a pair of bogeys on the last two holes put paid to any chance and she eventually finished alone in second place, two shots behind the Japanese to collect the runners-up cheque of $123,739.

South Korea’s Shin Ji-Yai, the tournament defending champion and world number two put up a brave fight in defence of her title with five birdies to finish at seven-under par 281 and tie for third place with Yani Tseng, Jim Song-Hee and Suzann Pettersen.

Inkster, after sharing the lead going into the final round, fell away as the veteran America carded a two-over par round of 74, while Lorena Ochoa will be cursing a disastrous second round 79 which effectively ended all chance for the world number one. Ochoa finished on even-par for the tournament and a share of 38th place alongside United States’ Morgan Pressel and others.

Michelle Wie held slim hopes of adding to her sole LPGA win, having got to within six strokes of the lead going into the final round. It was a mountain too big for the young American to climb, however, and a final round 70 saw her tie for 15th place.