PHOENIX (AP) ― Yani Tseng two-putted for par from 40 feet in fading light and cold to hold off Ai Miyazato and Choi Na-yeon by a stroke Sunday in the LPGA Founders Cup.
The top-ranked Taiwanese star won her 14th LPGA Tour title and second in four events this year. She closed with a 4-under 68 to finish at 18 under.
The second-ranked Choi also shot 68, and Miyazato had a 69.
Because of lightning near the Wildfire Golf Club, play was delayed three times for a total of three hours. Tseng holed her winning 2-foot putt at 6:45 p.m. ― 8 hours, 4 minutes after the leaders teed off and seven minutes after sunset.
Korea’s Choi Na-yeon (left) and Taiwan’s Yani Tseng walk up the 10th fairway at the LPGA Founders Cup on Sunday. (AFP-Yonhap News)
“I was feeling like we were going to finish tomorrow, so we were really lucky to finish today and finish in the dark the last few holes,” Tseng said. “Because of my eyes, I couldn’t see much of a distance, so I tried to keep to myself, ‘OK, just finish these few holes, just hit a good shot, good contact, play one shot at a time.’”
After temperatures in the mid-80s Thursday and Friday and high 70s Saturday, it plunged into the low 40s Sunday morning and only got up to the mid-50s.
“It was definitely a long day, and I’ve never seen this weather in Phoenix before,” Miyazato said. “Thank God we finished.”
Following overnight rain, play began at 8:30 a.m. It was still in the mid-40s, spitting rain and windy when the leaders teed off at 10:41. Soon after, hail fell briefly on parts of the course.
“It was a little drama out there,” Tseng said. “I didn’t play very well on the front nine. It was like hail on the first hole and it was like hail three holes. I just was really patient. We were back on and off.”
