ROGERS, Ark. — Yani Tseng was as amazed as anyone during Michelle Wie’s torrid stretch early in the weekend, when Wie shot a 28 for nine holes to take command at the Northwest Arkansas Championship. Just over 24 hours later,
ROGERS, Ark. — Yani Tseng was as amazed as anyone during Michelle Wie’s torrid stretch early in the weekend, when Wie shot a 28 for nine holes to take command at the Northwest Arkansas Championship.
Just over 24 hours later, Tseng was the tournament’s champion — after rallying to beat Wie by a stroke.
“She’s just so good,” Tseng said. “I just really play, one shot at a time, but if I don’t make lots of birdies today, I couldn’t win.”
Tseng made four birdies in a crucial five-hole stretch on the back nine en route to a 6-under 65 on Sunday that gave her a third LPGA Tour victory of the year. Tseng, from Taiwan, held off Wie when both players made birdies on No. 18.
Tseng finished at 13-under 200.
Wie (69) gave up the lead on the back nine — the same half of the course she played in 7-under 28 during a scintillating stretch Saturday that helped her take a three-stroke lead after two rounds. Tseng played with Wie during that round and was alongside her again Sunday, this time taking the victory away.
The 20-year-old Wie was trying for her second straight win. She won the Canadian Women’s Open late last month.
Juli Inkster, who at 50 was trying to become the oldest player to win on the tour, shot 72 and finished seven shots back. She’d entered the day tied for second with Tseng and Na Yeon Choi.
Mika Miyazato (64) finished third at 10 under at Pinnacle Country Club.
Tseng has five career LPGA Tour victories, including three majors. She won the Kraft Nabisco Championship and Women’s British Open this year.
She’s now firmly involved in the discussion of who might take over the mantle as women’s golf’s next dominant player after the recent retirements of Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa.
“When I was young, I was watching them play, so I just feel like I really need to win more tournaments, to be really working hard to be chasing them,” Tseng said. “Even though they’re retired, I think they’re still No. 1 in the world.”
Tseng, who actually bought Sorenstam’s home in Florida, jumped to the top of the Rolex Player of the Year race. She also is second on the money list.
Inbee Park (65) finished fourth, five strokes behind the winner. Jiyai Shin (66) and Seon Hwa Lee (69), the last two champions at this event, were in a group of players another shot back.
Ai Miyazato (67) tied for ninth, and Cristie Kerr (70) tied for 32nd.
