Laura Kueny fired a final-round 1-under 71 to capture her first Symetra Tour victory at the second-annual Symetra Classic.
Full Article: News Feed
On Other Tours: Laura Kueny wins the Symetra Classic
Leave a reply
Tag Archives: wins
On Other Tours: Christine Song wins the Guardian Retirement Championship at Sara Bay
Christine Song overcame a two-stroke deficit and outlasted a two-hole playoff to capture her third-career Symetra Tour victory at the Guardian Retirement Championship at Sara Bay.
Full Article: News Feed
Tseng wins RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup
Rolex Rankings No. 1 Yani Tseng captured the 2012 RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup in dramatic fashion, shooting a back-nine 31 to capture her 14th career LPGA Tour victory by one stroke over Na Yeon Choi and Ai Miyazato.
Despite recording birdies on five of her first six holes on the back nine, Tseng still had only a slim one-shot lead heading into the final hole of play as darkness fell upon the Wildfire Golf Club in Phoenix. Following a day full of lightning delays, hail storms and freezing temperatures, the finish ended up being perhaps the most electric moment of the day as the tournament came down to the final hole. Tseng two-putted from 45-feet for par on the par-4 18th to seal her one-shot victory.
It was a wild and wacky day in Phoenix. Players teed off for the final round with temperatures in the 40s, unseasonably cool weather for Phoenix this time of year. But the cold temperatures were the least of the worries for the players.
It had been 105 days since the Phoenix area had any measurable rain, but there was plenty of inclement weather to slow down play on this day. Hail fell early on in the round, covering a few greens, and three times lightning in the area forced delays. The delays totaled three hours and one minute with play resuming for a final time at 5:39 p.m. PT.
What was a long day on the course began with Miyazato and Tseng tied atop the leaderboard at 14-under-par. It was familiar territory for the two, as they played together in the final group last month at the Honda LPGA Thailand. Tseng came from one shot back at that event to defeat Miyazato by a stroke for her 13th career LPGA Tour victory.
But it was a slow start for Tseng on this Sunday. After matching Miyazato with a birdie on the third to move into a tie for the lead at 15-under, Tseng tallied back-to-back bogeys on No. 7 and 8 to drop three shots off the lead as Miyazato moved to 16-under.
Choi made a strong charge on the front-nine, tallying three straight birdies on No. 5-7 to move into a tie for the lead. But things changed quickly on the back nine. Miyazato held a two-stroke lead over Choi when play resumed for a second time but things tightened up quickly as Tseng began her birdie run. She moved into a tie for the lead with her third birdie on the back nine and then took the lead with a birdie on the par-3 14th. Tseng’s lead was two after a birdie on 15 but birdies by both Choi and Miyazato on the 16th shrunk that to one shot, putting pressure on the world’s No. 1 player who managed to once again deliver a memorable moment.
The LPGA Tour is in the midst of a three-week West Coast swing that includes stops in Phoenix and Carlsbad, Calif. before wrapping up in Rancho Mirage with the first major of the year, the Kraft Nabisco Championship.
Log on to LPGA.com later today for more extensive notes and interviews from the RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup.
Full Article: LPGA.com News & Entertainment
Angela Stanford wins the HSBC Women’s Champions after a playoff
The drama of a weather suspension on the final hole in regulation and a four-player, three-hole, sudden-death playoff at the HSBC Women’s Champions wasn’t enough to keep Angela Stanford from prevailing to earn her fifth-career LPGA victory. The 34-year-old sank a three-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole to earn the distinction of the 2012 “Champion of Champions” title. Stanford outlasted Shanshan Feng, who three-putted the first playoff hole, Na Yeon Choi, who missed a four-footer for par on the second playoff hole, and Jenny Shin, who bogeyed the final playoff hole to post the the second win by an American in the first three events of the LPGA season for the first time since 2007.
Stanford started off the week in convincing fashion, firing a tournament-low 6-under-par 66 to take a two-shot lead in the first round following six birdies, four coming on the front nine.
Stanford then carded a 2-under-par 70 in the second round to maintain the lead alongside Jenny Shin and Katie Futcher, who both shot 5-under67 to join her in front of the field heading into the third round at 8-under-par.
The three leaders matched each other’s’ performances in the third round, each carding1-under 71 to maintain the lead heading into the final round of the tournament.
As the leaders made the turn on Sunday at Tanah Merah Country Club, Yani Tseng seemed to be taking control, but the back nine had other plans for the Rolex Rankings No. 1. Tseng birdied five of the first nine holes to tie Shin for the lead at 11-under-par with nine holes to play, but was derailed by a double bogey on 10, a bogey at 14 and missed birdie opportunities at the driveable par-4 No. 16 and the No.17 where she lipped out for eagle from the fairway and missed a four-footer for birdie. The 23-year-old finished the week at 9-under-par, one shot behind the four players who played extra holes.
Stanford handled the ups and downs of the final round and playoff holes like a 12-year Tour veteran, as overcoming missed opportunities on the 18th hole in regulation and twice during the playoff before closing out the win. Her final round was highlighted by four birdies, two on both the front and back nine. She sat one shot behind Jenny Shin heading into the final hole of regulation before a weather delay suspended play for and hour and 34 minutes.
After returning to the 18th tee, Shin pulled her drive left, took relief and ended up with a double bogey, dropped to 10-under-par. Stanford made bogey to force the playoff with Choi and Feng.
With the victory, Stanford earns her first win since 2009 at the season-opening SBS Open at Turtle Bay and makes it her fourth season in her 12-year career with at least one victory. Currently ranked No. 17 in the Rolex Rankings, she also pushes herself into a tie for second with Jessica Korda in the race for the Rolex Player of the Year Rankings, sitting three points behind No. 1 Yani Tseng’s leading 33 points.
The HSBC Women’s Champions concludes the season-opening three-week Asia-Pacific circuit. The LPGA Tour will return to the U.S. and will resume play on March 15 in Phoenix, Arizona, for the RR Donnelly LPGA Founders Cup.
Please visit LPGA.com later today for more extensive notes and interviews from the HSBC Women’s Champions 2012.
Full Article: LPGA.com News & Entertainment
On Other Tours: Wright wins on LET
Lindsey finds Wright way to win ISPS Handa New Zealand Open hosted by Christchurch
Article courtesy of Ladies European Tour
The 32 year old Australian golfer Lindsey Wright has returned from the golfing wilderness to win the ISPS Handa New Zealand Women’s Open hosted by Christchurch.
Wright, once No 12 in the world before taking time out of the game with a loss of form, nailed a 4m birdie putt on the final hole to claim victory at Pegasus Golf and Sports Club near Christchurch today.
Playing the last, the overnight leader was tied with compatriot Jessica Speechley and American Alison Walshe who were sitting in the clubhouse at nine-under, before Wright landed the crucial winning putt.
“It’s unbelievable. It’s still sinking in. I putted really well all day and the last six holes I was really nervous,” said Wright. “I haven’t been in this position for a while and I thought to myself ‘I can win this.’”
“I looked at the leader board and saw Alison Walshe up there and Speechley at nine-under and thought ‘no, I can make this putt. Just keep your head down, just hit a great putt. My caddy was more shocked that I was I think.”
Wright shot a final round four-under 68 to finish on 10-under 206, a shot ahead of Walshe and Speechley who shot rounds of 69 and a tournament-low seven-under 65 respectively.
Experienced Canadian Lorie Kane and Australia’s Stephanie Na both shot 69s to finish in a share of fourth place on eight-under, with five Americans in the top-10.
Leading New Zealander was 17 year old Cecilia Cho, the World No. 3 ranked amateur, who shot a three-under 69 to finish on five-under. She edged her good friend and rival Lydia Ko by one shot to bring the curtain down on her outstanding amateur career as she returns to Korea to turn professional.
“I have watched Lydia play and she was good this week. It is good being out of the spotlight but I am fine being in the spotlight as well,” said Cho.
“It’s good to get some momentum before I turn professional. It would have been nice to score lower but it’s been a good tournament.
“I am going to miss so much about New Zealand. I am going to miss travelling with teams but turning pro is a new challenge and I am excited about that.”
Speechley enjoyed the white-hot hand in an otherwise bitterly cold day. The 22 year old, who turned professional last year, fired a blistering opening nine in seven-under 29 including five birdies and an eagle on the par-5 fifth.
She turned at nine-under for the tournament to open a one shot lead, before mixing a solitary bogey at the 13th with a vital birdie on the last to get to nine-under for the tournament.
“My putting was the key to the round. The greens at Royal Melbourne last week were ridiculously fast but I finally got the pace here after two days,” Speechley said.
“Anything can happen especially around here if the wind blows so I told myself to stay patient and hang in there. I just turned pro in December, so (to win) would be amazing. A first tournament win after only a few months would have been amazing.”
Joint overnight leader Walshe had dropped back to seven-under after 11 holes before making two late birdies to put her name into the hat.
There was considerable interest in Ko to again show her immense talents well beyond her years. While her putter had been a key all week, on the day she most needed it most, her putter went as cold as the weather.
Ko had to be content to finish with a two over 74 today to finish on four-under in a tie for 17th place and was quick to acknowledge
Full Article: LPGA.com News & Entertainment
On Other Tours: Boeljon wins RACV Australian Ladies Masters
By Ladies European Tour, More >>
Christel Boeljon of the Netherlands came from three strokes behind overnight leader So Yeon Ryu to claim a one stroke victory at the Gold Coast RACV Australian Ladies Masters.
A final-hole birdie from around five feet meant the European Solheim Cup player earned her second Ladies European Tour victory with rounds of 66, 65, 68, and 68 for a 21-under-par 72-hole total at the par 72, 5954 Metre RACV Royal Pines course on the Gold Coast in Queensland.
Meanwhile a level par round of 72 saw Ryu, the US Women’s Open champion, slip into a share of second with Diana Luna and Ha-Neul Kim, who both shot 67.
Two days ago the talk at Royal Pines was who was going to catch Ryu, after the reigning US Open champion fired off an eleven under 61 giving her a commanding four shot lead heading into the weekend.
But the 21-year-old, who admitted to being tired after her 61, struggled over the final 36-hole stretch posting just seven birdies and four bogeys in the last two days.
Boeljon, 24, remained composed throughout. Playing with new clubs, Boeljon shot four under on both Saturday and Sunday, not once appearing intimidated by Ryu’s credentials or the situation.
Sharing the lead with Ryu down the final stretch, the Dutchwoman was able to make two brilliant up and downs on holes 15 and 16 to importantly stay in the lead with the South Korean.
Again as she headed up 18 there were four players all on 20 under, and Boeljon knew a birdie on the par-five final hole would do it. After reaching the green in two and with Ryu in the greenside trap, Boeljon left her eagle putt 1.5 metres short.
“My first putt, I was not really happy: it was a bit far away for my liking,” she told ABC TV.
Ryu flew her bunker shot way over the pin leaving her a very long birdie putt.
“I was better make a two putt and birdie and then it might be mine,” Boeljon said.“It’s not over ‘till it’s over. I am really happy I finished with a birdie and it’s unbelievable.”
Gwladys Nocera raced up the leader board firing off a superb eight under 64 to finish her tournament on 18 under. An eagle on the par -five third and a string of four birdies on the last five holes gave the Frenchwoman outright fifth place.
England’s Felicity Johnson and South Korea’s Bo-Mee Lee shared sixth on 15 under, while Lindsey Wright and Nikki Campbell were the only two Australians to finish in the top ten, tying with American Danielle Kang in eighth place on 13 under.
After a great third round of nine under 63, Sydney’s Frances Bondad dropped out of the top ten following a disappointing final round of two over 74. She finished the tournament in a tie for 15th on 11 under with several players including American teenager, 16 year-old Lexi Thompson.
New Zealand amateur Lydia Ko, 14, who stated all week her aim was just to make the cut, tied for 32nd and took out leading amateur honours with a four round total of six under.
Next week the players will head south to play in the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open at Royal Melbourne.
Full Article: LPGA.com News & Entertainment
On Other Tours: Lexi Thompson wins on LET
 |
| courtesy of Ladies European Tour |
Lexi Thompson became the second youngest winner in Ladies European Tour history following a victory at the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters today. Thompson will join the LPGA Tour as an official member beginning in 2012. Earlier this season, she became the youngest winner in LPGA history at the 2011 Navistar LPGA Classic. The win marks her second professional victory in the last three months.
South Korean Amy Yang, the youngest winner in LET history, was aged 16 years, 6 months and 8 days when she won the ANZ Ladies Masters in Australia as an amateur, in 2006. Thompson is nearly four months older this week.
Thompson started the day one shot clear of the field and lost her lead to South African Lee-Anne Pace after seven holes, but quickly re-established her lead by the turn and won the event by four strokes at 15-under-par 273. Other LPGA Tour members in the top 10 included Sophie Gustafson (-10), Becky Morgan (-9), Pernilla Lindberg (-9), Allison Walshe (-7), Julieta Granada (-7), and Caroline Hedwall (-6).
Full Article: LPGA.com News & Entertainment
On Other Tours: Tseng Wins
 |
| Photos courtesy of the Swinging Skirts Invitational |
Tseng wins Swinging Skirts 2011 Taiwan LPGA Invitational
Yani Tseng earned her 12th Worldwide win in Taiwan at “Swinging Skirts 2011 Taiwan LPGA Invitational”. There was a great turn out with all top five, and seven of top 10 and nine of top 15 Rolex World ranking players were in the field. Also in the field was the reigning 2011 US Women’s Open championship So-Yeon Ryu (ranked #29).
Just how dominant was Tseng really? She finished six under par in a three day event and seven shots ahead of Ji-Yai Shin and So-Yeon Ryu. She was the only player to break par in three rounds total.
Final Results and Scoring
Full Article: LPGA.com News & Entertainment