Los Angeles: South Korean Amy Yang captured her long-awaited first major title on Sunday, hanging on late for a three-shot victory at the Women’s PGA Championship in her 75th major debut.
Yang shot a 72-under par to finish at seven-under 281 after 72 holes at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Washington.
Despite some late struggles, compatriot Ko Jin-young, Japanese Miyu Ashamashita and American Lilia Wu finished second in 284th place to claim the $1.56 million top prize.
Yang, world no.
“I have always wanted to win a major and I have come close several times and I began to doubt that I will win a major before I retire because I have been on the tour for a long time,” Burn. said.
“I’m very grateful and very happy to win the major title.”
The two-time US Open champion won her fifth and final LPGA title, her first on US soil, on the Championship Tour last November.
Despite the big late lead, the Flames faced some tense moments down the stretch.
Yang had his second half of the week at 16, allowing five hits.
After his team was given a timeout, Yang sank his tee shot on the par-3 17th to finish three behind Ko and Wu.
On the par 18, Yang found the fairway but sent the second shot short of the green. He hit his third shot on the green and two-putted from just 12 feet for the win.
22 Dunya Ashamashita, 22, who has won 11 times on the LPGA Japan Tour, closed with one-over to shoot 73 and take second place. Figures by Wu and Co. 71.
Americans Allie Ewing and Lauren Hartlage finished fifth at 285.
Looks like Ewing just missed the Paris Olympics. Four places in the top 15 were due on Monday.
“It would be great if the rankings come out tomorrow and I’m an Olympian,” Ewing said. “It will be really special”.
Yang, who started the day with a two-putt lead over Ashamashita and Hartlage, opened with a birdie putt and responded with a birdie on the 3rd, 67 yards from the green. .
Ashamashita sank a six-yard birdie at the second to keep the Dragons within two.
Hartlage birdied the par-5 second from just 12 feet and holed in from 45 feet pulling in one on the par-3 fifth.
But after a five-foot birdie at the par-5 sixth, Hartlage bounced back with double bogeys at the seventh and eighth to end his 35-hole run.
Yang sunk a seven-foot birdie putt at the eighth, before Ashamashita found a bunker in the rough and onto the green on the way to a double bogey, which left Yang five shots clear in nine under for 10 holes.
Yang stumbled with a bogey on the 10th but responded with a bogey on the par 11, but Ashamashita sank a 12-foot birdie on the 11th to remain four shots.
Ashamashita reached 12, but Wu made a four-over charge, starting with three consecutive birdies on the back nine.
Yang responded with a birdie putt from outside four feet on the par 13, and Wu made bogeys on 14 and 15 to move six ahead of Yang as the close fight continued.
