LPGA Tour: China’s Yin makes history with LA Open win, holds off Georgia Hall to triumph in California
- Yin Ruoning becomes just second Chinese winner on Tour after Shanshan Feng
- Hall had opportunity to take tournament to a play-off, but missed 5-foot putt for birdie
Yin Ruoning became just the second Chinese winner in LPGA Tour history on Sunday, holding off Georgia Hall in the DIO Implant LA Open.
The 20-year-old Yin closed with an eventful one-under-par 70 for a one-shot victory over Hall, the English player whose 5-foot birdie try on the 18th to force a play-off slid by the right side.
Recently retired Shanshan Feng is the other only other Chinese champion, winning 10 times on the LPGA Tour.
“That means a lot, not just for me, also for China,” Yin said. “Shanshan is always my goal here, and I think she got 10 tour wins here, and, yeah, it’s just my first one. She’s definitely the person I look up to.”
Yin finished at 15-under at Palos Verdes Golf Club, making six birdies and five bogeys in the final round in her 20th tour start.
She had a nine-hole stretch without a par, making a birdie on No 2, three straight bogeys, four straight birdies and a bogey on 10. After dropping a stroke on 13, she birdied 14 and parred the final four.
