Tseng, 19, takes LPGA
HAVRE DE GRACE, Md. -- In her rookie year on the LPGA Tour, playing in only her third major championship, 19-year-old Yani Tseng felt lucky to become the youngest winner of the LPGA Championship.
After the day she had Sunday at Bulle Rock, that was hardly the case.
First, she went 18 holes with Lorena Ochoa and closed with a 4-under 68 in searing heat, denying the No. 1 player in women's golf a chance to win a third straight major. Then came a sudden-death playoff with Maria Hjorth that lasted four holes.
Tseng finished it off by choking down on a 6-iron out of the first cut of rough and hitting the perfect shot, the ball stopping five feet behind the hole for a birdie that made her the first rookie to win an LPGA major in 10 years.
"I can't believe I just won a major," Tseng said. "Everything is coming so fast."
It felt like slow motion for Ochoa and Annika Sorenstam, both desperate for their own brand of history.
Ochoa, who only two days ago appeared to be sailing toward a third straight major, went 14 holes without a birdie. The drought ended on the 16th hole when a 20-yard pitch for eagle banged off the pin, and a birdie on the final hole only made it look close. She closed with a 71 and wound up 1 shot behind.
"It wasn't my time," Ochoa said, showing more emotion than she had all week. "I am not ashamed. I'm proud of my finish. Now I move on and try to win the next few tournaments."
Sorenstam, trying to join Mickey Wright as the only four-time winner of the McDonald's LPGA Championship, also closed with a 71 and could count more than a dozen putts on the weekend that she could have made. She twice missed inside five feet on par 5s in the final round, and she had a 15-foot birdie putt from the fringe on the 18th to get into the playoff.
It was weak and well short.
"It's a tough time," Sorenstam said. "I was determined today, really this whole week. I felt like I could do it."
Hjorth appeared to have fate on her side when a fairway metal headed for the hazard instead ricocheted off the rocks in a creek and bounded across the green, turning bogey into birdie. Then she chipped in on the next hole for birdie and the lead.
She closed with a 71, and had 18-foot and 12-foot birdie putts to win in the playoff, both narrowly missing.
"I don't think it's really hit me, but I'm sure I'm going to be very, very tired pretty soon," Hjorth said. "But I'm very happy with the day. I played solid golf all day, and just very proud of myself for hanging in there."
Playing the 18th hole for the third time in an hour, Tseng took her hand off the driver when it sailed to the right, taking a good hop out of the deep grass and into the first cut. Then came a 6-iron, drawing toward the flag.
"I wasn't that nervous when I teed off," she said. "I just tell myself, 'Make this putt and win a major.' "