Angel Yin secured her first tour win by defeating the top-ranked Lilia Vu on the first playoff hole in the Buick LPGA Shanghai tournament on Sunday.
Both Yin and Vu finished the tournament at 14-under 274 on the Qizhong Garden Golf Club course, necessitating a playoff. In the playoff, Yin birdied the par-4 18th hole after Vu narrowly missed her 20-foot birdie putt.
The victory marked a significant moment for the 25-year-old Yin, coming in her 159th start. She shared a warm embrace with compatriot Vu, and it also served as a measure of revenge since Vu had beaten Yin in a playoff earlier this year to win the Chevron Championship, an LPGA major.
Yin and Maja Stark were tied for the overnight lead at 12 under. On Sunday, Yin shot a 70, with three birdies and a lone bogey on the 6th hole. Vu carded a 4-under 68, featuring six birdies and two bogeys, and was the clubhouse leader at 14-under until Yin birdied the par-5 17th and then made par on the final hole to force the playoff.
Vu commented on the day, saying, “I made a lot of mistakes today, to be honest, and I felt like this was definitely not my A-game, but I knew that the more I play the golf course, the better I get at it, and I knew I had a good chance today. Today was just Angel’s day. I’m happy for her.”
Five players finished tied for third at 13 under, including South Korea’s Hye-jin Choi, who shot a 64, Thai pair Pavarisa Yoktuan (70) and Ariya Jutanugarn (69), Yu Liu (68), and Esther Henseleit (68).
Maja Stark had a frustrating day, finishing in a tie for eighth with an even-par round, totaling 12-under 276.
Two-time defending champion Danielle Kang of the United States shot 71 and finished five strokes back in a tie for 17th at 9 under.
This event marked the LPGA’s return to China for the first time since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the beginning of a four-tournament Asia swing, with subsequent stops in South Korea, Malaysia, and Japan.
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