Thailand Open golf: Lucky 13th as Yani Tseng retains title

Published on Monday 20 February 2012 00:00

WORLD No 1 Yani Tseng successfully defended her Thailand Open title for her 13th LPGA Tour victory after picking up birdies on the final two holes to hold off playing partner Ai Miyazato by a stroke.

The 23-year-old Taiwanese star shot a six-under 66 to finish at 19-under 269 on Siam Country Club’s Pattaya Old Course. She opened with a 73, then shot consecutive 65s to enter the final round a shot behind Miyazato.

Before the tournament she made a wish on a lucky Thai statue. “I had some luck out there,” Tseng said. “I shot one-over the first round, but played 20 under the next three days. I felt like I could improve a lot and I feel like something gave me luck.”

Last year, Tseng won the event for the first of her seven 2011 LPGA Tour victories, including major victories in the LPGA Championship and Women’s British Open. The five-time major champion finished the year with 12 worldwide victories. She has 33 career worldwide professional victories.

“I feel much more pressure coming into this year,” Tseng said. “Last year, when I started, I was nothing. I was just in the top five in the world, but I don’t have 12 wins or world No 1 title.

“After last year, I have world No 1 and I had 12 wins and that pressure keep going on and on.”

Miyazato, the Japanese player who won the 2010 tournament, also birdied the final two holes in her 67. Catriona Matthew, making her first appearance of the season, closed with a 68 – her best score of the week – to finish in a tie for 25th on 285, three-under-par.

American Morgan Pressel had a hole-in-one with an 8-iron on the 136-yard eighth hole.

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