Tseng's first victory a major

BY Bruce Young | LPGA Tour | 2008 McDonalds LPGA Championship | Round Four | 09 Jun 2008

19-year-old Taiwanese golfer, Yani Tseng, confirmed the reputation she has been building in her golfing career to date and in her rookie season on the LPGA Tour, when she won the McDonald’s LPGA Championship in a playoff over Sweden’s Maria Hjorth.

Not only was it Tseng’s first major victory, it was her first LPGA Tour win, although the manner in which she has played in her first season has given rise to believe that this was not the improbability it might have appeared on paper.

“I feel very excited,” said Tseng after her victory. “I couldn’t believe it, I just won a Major. I’m a rookie. And everything just came so fast. So I’m just really excited for this.”

Tseng only narrowly avoided having the weekend off, her 36 hole total having her only one shot inside the cut off score of even par. Tseng had recovered from an opening round of 73 with a second round of 70 but when she headed out on Saturday she was a massive 9 shots behind the world number one, Lorena Ochoa.

A brilliant third round of 65 moved into her contention, although she trailed Korea’s Jee Young Lee by four. Also ahead of her were Maria Hjorth, Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa and so there was a lot of work to do if she was to challenge on the final day. Four birdies before the turn had her not only challenging but leading at 12 under with Hjorth and Sorenstam at that point.

Hjorth claimed the outright lead when she birdied the 10th to move one ahead of Tseng and Sorenstam but disaster struck at the 13th when her tee shot hit a spectator and finished in the long grass and she was forced to replay her shot after her ball was confirmed lost. It was a costly blow for the Swede who slipped to 11 under and was in a share of the lead with Sorenstam and Tseng who had also both dropped shots at the dangerous 13th.

Tseng responded quickly with a birdie at the 14th and took the lead outright but Hjorth, who had perhaps been unlucky at the 13th, got a great break at the 15th when her second landed in the hazard, hit a rock and jumped up onto the green. She birdied and shared the lead again with Tseng.

Hjorth took the lead outright at the 16th when she chipped in from just off the green and stood at 13 under and one ahead. At the very next hole however, Hjorth took a bogey when she missed the green at the par three then missed a four foot par save.

As Hjorth headed to the last, Tseng was about to play her second to the par four 72nd. A great tee shot had set up a relatively short iron approach. Although such an inexperienced player might have been expected to bail out right she went straight at the flag protected by water left and finish 8 feet from the hole. It was classic stuff and further evidence of the exciting player she is. Tseng missed her birdie attempt which would have given her the outright lead but at 12 under she headed for the clubhouse and waited to see what those behind could do.

Hjorth was playing in the final group with Sorenstam and Lee, the latter of whom was by now playing only a bit part. Hjorth was tied for the lead while Sorenstam needed a birdie to tie. Sorenstam was first to play her approach and hit a brilliant shot to 18 feet. Hjorth, with a 6 iron, finished 14 feet from the hole and had that to win her first major championship. Both would miss however and so Hjorth and Tseng headed to the first playoff hole to establish the champion.

It took four holes to decide the champion before Tseng hit a six iron to 5 feet at the fourth extra hole and took the title.

Tseng will move to fourth place on the money list, the US$300,000 taking her to US$835,000 in her rookie season.

Lorena Ochoa rallied late in the day to finish in a share of third with her great adversary, Annika Sorenstam, the pair finishing just one shot behind the playoff.

Lindsey Wright was the best of the Australians, contending early in the event before an ordinary weekend where she recorded rounds of 73 and 74. Wright was still in the mix when she reached the turn today but fell away with a bogey at the 11th and a double bogey at the 13th which had claimed so many victims this week. Wright finished in a share of 18th.

Karrie Webb was 29th, Michelle Ellis 40th, Rachel Hetherington 46th and Wendy Doolan 56th.