LPGA Shanghai Tournament: Angel Yin’s First Tour Victory
The LPGA Shanghai event on Sunday saw American Solheim Cup competitor Angel Yin overcome top-ranked Lilia Vu on the opening playoff hole to claim her maiden tour victory.
On the par-4 18th hole of the Qizhong Garden Golf Club course, Yin made a birdie after Vu missed her 20-foot birdie putt, requiring a playoff after both players ended at 14-under 274 overall.
In her 159th attempt, 25-year-old Yin won for the first time, and her fellow countryman Vu congratulated her.
On Sunday, Yin recorded a 70, with three birdies and one double on the sixth hole. She and Maja Stark shared the lead overnight at 12 under.
When Yin birdied the par-5 17th hole and then made par on the last hole to force a playoff, Vu had posted a 4-under 68 with six birdies and two bogeys and was in first place in the clubhouse at 14-under.
At 13 under, five players tied for third place: Yu Liu (68), Esther Henseleit (68), Pavarisa Yoktuan (70), Choi Hye-jin of South Korea (64), and Ariya Jutanugarn (69) of Thailand.
Maja Stark, who shared the overnight lead with Yin, had a difficult day as she finished in a tie for eighth place with a 12-under 276 after shooting an even-par round.
American Danielle Kang, a two-time reigning winner, shot 71 to tie for 17th place after finishing five strokes farther down at nine under.
This tournament is the first LPGA event in China since 2019 because of the COVID-19 epidemic, and it marks the beginning of a four-tournament Asian swing that will also include visits to South Korea, Malaysia, and Japan.
