HAVRE DE GRACE, Md. — Yani Tseng of Taiwan became the first rookie in 10 years to win a major, beating Maria Hjorth on the fourth hole of a playoff with a 5-foot birdie on the 18th hole to win the LPGA Championship.
Tseng, a 19-year-old with a decorated amateur career, closed with a 4-under-par 68 and became the second-youngest woman to win a major. Not since Se Ri Pak in the 1998 LPGA Championship had a player won a major as a rookie.
“I feel so lucky,” Tseng said.
Hjorth appeared to have fate on her side when her fairway metal shot bounced off the rocks in a creek, over a ledge and across the green, turning a bogey into a birdie on the 15th hole. She closed with a 71, and missed a 12-foot birdie before Tseng holed the winning putt.
Tseng and Hjorth finished at 12-under 276.
Lorena Ochoa went 14 holes without a birdie, ending her hopes of a third straight major. She birdied two of the last three holes for a 71 and finished one shot out of the playoff, along with Annika Sorenstam (71).
“It wasn’t my time,” Ochoa said. “I am not ashamed.”
Leonard wins in playoff
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Justin Leonard won the St. Jude Championship in a playoff, holing a 19-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole to beat Masters champion Trevor Immelman and Robert Allenby.
Leonard blew a one-stroke lead with two holes left to drop into the playoff. He closed with a 4-under 68 to match Allenby (65) and Immelman (69) at 4-under 276.
Pars propel Jeev Singh
OBERWALTERSDORF, Austria — Jeev Milkha Singh had 18 consecutive pars for a 71 to win the Bank Austria Open by one stroke for his third European Tour title.
The Associated Press
