Golf: China's Yin Ruoning edges Yuka Saso to win Women's PGA Championship

NEW YORK -- China's Yin Ruoning sank a 10-foot birdie putt on the final hole on Sunday to win the Women's PGA Championship for her first major title.

The 20-year-old from Shanghai fired a four-under par 67 to finish 72 holes at Baltusrol on eight-under 276 and defeat Japan's Yuka Saso by one stroke.

Yin took the $1.5 million top prize and became only the second woman from China to win a major title after Feng Shanshan, who captured the 2012 Women's PGA crown.

"It's amazing," Yin said. "It's just unreal."

Saso, a 22-year-old Philippine-born Japanese star who won the 2021 US Women's Open, birdied the par-5 18th to match Yin for the lead at 7-under on the rain-soaked layout at Springfield, New Jersey.

Yin answered by landing her approach 10 feet from the hole and rolled in the tension-packed birdie putt for the victory in the year's second women's major tournament.

"After the tee shot I saw Yuka make an incredible birdie here, I knew I had to make birdie at this hole to win the championship and I'm glad I did it," Yin said.

An early afternoon storm halted play for almost two hours, but after play resumed Yin birdied the 13th and 14th to grab a share of the lead, parred the next three holes as rivals faltered, and won at the last after hitting every green in regulation in the final two rounds.

"For last couple days, my ball striking was perfect," Yin said. "I only missed six greens in four days so I think my ball striking was pretty good.

"My goal for today, just no three-putts. And I did it too. I didn't think too much. Just no three-putts Because last few days I made five bogeys and four of them were three-putts."

A third-place pack on 278 included Spain's Carlota Ciganda, Sweden's Anna Nordqvist, China's Lin Xiyu, American Megan Khang and Northern Ireland's Stephanie Meadow.

Japan's Ayaka Furue, South Korean Jenny Shin and American Rose Zhang shared eighth on 279.

Yin had joined Feng as the only Chinese women to win an LPGA title when she captured the LA Open in April.

Among those unable to match Yin down the stretch was Lin, who shared the lead when the storm struck.

"It's pretty amazing," Lin said of Yin's victory. "She's young and she's so talented. She's definitely really good at dealing with pressure. It's great to see that."

Yin rents a house in Orlando from Lin and said she hadn't thought about how her rent might now get higher.

"Actually, I'm thinking about buying her house right now," Yin said.

- 'I've got goosebumps' -

Shin and Lin were deadlocked atop the leaderboard when play resumed after the storm but seven others were within two strokes.

Lin held the lead alone after Shin made a bogey at the eighth and kept it until Yin birdied the 13th and 14th and Saso made her fourth birdie in six holes at 15 to share the lead on 7-under, although Saso stumbled with a bogey at 16.

Lin found water off the tee at the par-5 18th and closed with a bogey to leave Yin alone in the lead.

Saso responded with a tap-in birdie at 18 to share the lead, setting the stage for Yin's closing heroics.

"I actually kind of felt that I was going to make it and I made it," Yin said. "It's a very weird feeling."

She joined a list of major winners at Baltusrol that includes Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson and women's icon Mickey Wright.

"I've got goosebumps," Yin said. "They're all legends. I'm glad that I can be part of it."

Yin hopes her victory can boost golf in China.

"I think it means a lot," Yin said. "I think it's going to push a lot of kids to play golf."

Agence France-Presse

Golf: Nelly Korda wins Women's PGA title to become World No.1

WASHINGTON -- Nelly Korda won the Women's PGA Championship on Sunday to capture her first major title and become the first American since 2014 to seize the world number one ranking.

The 22-year-old daughter of retired Czech tennis star Petr Korda made two eagles in outdueling compatriot Lizette Salas down the stretch for a three-stroke triumph.

"I've put in a lot of work," Korda said. "And to finally get three wins under my belt this year and a major championship, I don't even have words, honestly."

Korda fired a four-under-par 68 to finish 72 holes on 19-under 269 at Atlanta Athletic Club with Salas on 272 after a closing 71.

She will jump from third to first in Monday's new rankings, overtaking South Korea's number one Ko Jin-young and second-ranked Park In-bee.

Korda will become the first American atop the rankings since Stacy Lewis in October 2014 and only the third US player atop the list since it began in 2006 after Lewis and Cristie Kerr.

Korda became the first American to win a major women's golf title since Angela Stafford at the 2018 Evian.

"This is something I've worked for since I was 14," Korda said. "I wanted to win a major since I played in my first one.

"To finally get it done here in Atlanta with such an amazing crowd, it was something special."

South Korea's Kim Hyo-joo and Italy's Giulia Molinaro shared a distant third on 278 with Thailand's Patty Tavatanakit and American Danielle Kang sharing fifth on 280.

Korda claimed her third LPGA victory of the year after Boca Rio in February and last week at the LPGA Meijer Classic.

"I had a great week last week and carried the momentum into this week," Korda said. "I just played really well this week."

Salas, whose only LPGA victory came in 2014 at Kingsmill, matched her best major showing, a runner-up effort at the 2019 Women's British Open.

Korda birdied the par-4 third to grab a one-stroke lead over Salas, then hit a 7-wood 243 yards to within inches of the cup for a tap-in eagle at the par-5 fifth to reach 18-under.

Salas opened with a pair of par saves before adding an eight-foot birdie putt at the fifth and a tap-in birdie at six to pull within one of Korda, who was battling nerves.

"I wanted to keep a level head and tell myself there was a lot of golf to be played and take it one shot at a time," Korda said.

- Turning point at 12th -

The turning point came at the par-5 12th, when Korda dropped her second shot within five feet of the cup and Salas sent her third into a bunker.

Salas blasted out 15 feet beyond the hole and missed her par putt while Korda rolled in her eagle putt to reach 20-under par, the three-shot swing giving Korda a four-stroke edge.

Korda sank a long birdie putt at the 14th to reach 21-under, stretching her lead to five strokes with four holes remaining.

Korda was a threat to break the record for the lowest 72-hole score in women's major golf history, the 21-under 263 by South Korea's Chun In-gee at the 2016 Evian Championship.

But after a lengthy wait at the par-3 15th, Korda hit her tee shot into water and went on to make double bogey, ending her run of 49 consecutive holes without a bogey and trimming her lead to three.

Korda responded with three closing pars, the last on a long putt when the victory was secure.

Agence France-Presse