Yani TsengLee Jin-man
NCHEON, South Korea- Top-ranked Yani Tseng won the LPGA Hana Bank Championship on Sunday for her sixth LPGA Tour victory of the season and 10th overall title of the year, shooting a 5-under 67 to edge Na Yeon Choi by a stroke.
The 22-year-old Taiwanese star, the LPGA Championship and Women's British Open winner, finished at 14-under 202 on Sky 72 Golf Club's Ocean Course.
"It was very tough out there," Tseng said. "Na Yeon Choi was playing so good today. … She made two birdies in a row and I missed the birdie putt. I really enjoyed it out there. It's not easy. I tried to focus on every shot, every hole."
Tseng earned $270,000 to push her tour-leading total to $2,396,838. She has 11 victories in four full seasons on the LPGA Tour.
Choi, the 2009 and 2010 winner, shot a 68, closing with a birdie in front of the large home crowd.
"The crowd is amazing," Tseng said. "When Na Yeon makes birdie, it was like a huge crowd, and I think it's the first time in my life I saw that many people on a golf course."
In 2009, Choi birdied the final hole to beat Tseng by a stroke.
"I didn't think anything like two years ago," Tseng said. "I kind of forgot and learned from that. She played great and I played good. I did my best then, and I feel like she just played better than me and she deserved to win the tournament.
"Two years after, we both have got some more experience and we both got more wins. It's very different out there."
Brittany Lincicome (66), Jamin Jang (68) and second-round leader Soo-Jin Yang (71) tied for third at 11 under. Michelle Wie had a 69 to tie for 35th at 1 under.