Tseng claims ANZ RACV Ladies Masters and World No. 1 spot
Article courtesy of Ladies European Tour
13th February 2011 - Taiwan's Yani Tseng shot a closing 68 to win the ANZ RACV Ladies Masters at the RACV Royal Pines Resort and claimed the world No. 1 ranking from Korean Jiyai Shin today.
Tseng, 22, who has played the Ladies Masters on Queensland's Gold Coast since she was a 16-year-old amateur, produced rounds of 67, 66, 63 and 68 against par of 72 to finish at 24 under par, four shots clear of Australia's Nikki Campbell (64) and American Stacy Lewis (69).
Another American, Ryann O'Toole (69), took fourth place at 18-under par while 16-year-old New Zealand Amateur Cecilia Cho (67) tied for fifth with South African and European No. 1 Lee-Anne Pace (65), American Amanda Blumenhurst (65) and Australian Sarah-Jane Smith (66).
The win comes on the heels of the ISPS Women's Australian Open at Commonwealth Golf Club in Melbourne last week, a double achieved only by Karrie Webb in 2000 and 2007. Webb was looking to win the title for the eighth time this year but after sharing the lead with an opening 66, shot subsequent rounds of 71, 68 and 67 to drop back to a share of ninth place.
Tseng's elevation to the top spot in the rankings is almost routine for previous visitors to the Ladies Masters. Others who have commenced their professional career at the ANZ Ladies Masters and then gone onto achieve the No. 1 ranking include Webb, Sweden's Annika Sorenstam and Mexico's Lorena Ochoa.
The winner of three majors - the 2009 LPGA Championship and the Kraft Nabisco Championship and RICOH Women's British Open in 2010 - said her goal at the start of the year was to be ranked the best player in the world. She advanced from No. 5 to No. 2 with the Australian Open win and completed the journey at RACV Royal Pines Resort.
The trick now, she says, is staying there. Since Ochoa retired on top in May last year, Shin, Japan's Ai Miyazato and American Cristie Kerr have assumed and lost the mantle. "It is so soon," said Tseng. "I wasn't expecting it as quickly as this. I still have another 10 months to go. I just need to be very patient and keep working hard and I still have lots of things to learn too."
She described the win as a dream come true. "I'm very appreciative of the opportunity to play in this tournament since I was an amateur," she said. "I have learnt a lot here, coming to play with the best golfers in the world. The first time I came here I told all my friends that one day I want my picture on Champion Drive with all the other winners."
Nikki Campbell, who recorded her best finish on home soil, was very pleased with her final round 64, "Yeah, I quite often have my best rounds on a Sunday, and I don't know why. Maybe I see the finish line and try and get there I guess. I was happy with today. I've played well most of the week and sort of, things just went well today." Campbell said after her round.
The circuit now moves to Christchurch in for the Pegasus New Zealand Women's Open hosted by Christchurch, the third event in as many weeks co-sanctioned by Australian Ladies Professional Golf and the Ladies European Tour.
For final results visit www.alpg.com.au
Topics: On Other Tours, Tseng, Yani
