SHANGHAI: Angel Yin won on the LPGA Tour for the first time as she held her nerve on the first playoff hole to beat world number one Lilia Vu in Shanghai on Sunday. On a dramatic final day that saw the lead change hands repeatedly at Qizhong Garden Golf Club, the Americans both finished 14-under after four rounds, a shot ahead of the chasing pack, to ensure they went to a playoff. In hazy conditions at the $2.1 million event, overnight co-leader Yin birdied the par-four 18th in the sudden-death playoff. It was Yin’s first victory on the LPGA Tour in her 159th start. “Feels amazing. I got to say,” said the 25-year-old, who is ranked 35 in the world.

“I was playing today and I was like, wow, winning is tough. It’s not easy. “So hats off to Lilia for playing so well last day again, and obviously she’s been playing really well.” Vu had shot a final-round four-under-par 68 and Yin, who shared the overnight lead with Sweden’s Maja Stark, carded a 70 to take them into the playoff. Vu said she was happy with her performance during the week but felt she was not at her best in the final round. “I made a lot of mistakes today, to be honest, and I felt like this was definitely not my A-game,” she said.

“Today was just Angel’s day, I’m happy for her,” she added. South Korea’s Choi Hye-jin, who started the day in 24th position, rocketed up the leaderboard with an eight-under 64 for third place on 13-under for the tournament. Choi at one point held the clubhouse lead. In the end, she finished alongside Germany’s Esther Henseleit, Liu Yu of China and the Thai duo of Ariya Jutanugarn and Pavarisa Yoktuan. Sweden’s Stark had led after three rounds but lost her nerve with a 72 to finish tied eighth. Danielle Kang of the United States, who won the tournament the last time it was played, in 2019, carded a final-round 71 for a share of 17th.

As part of the LPGA swing through Asia, the tour moves on to South Korea next for the BMW Ladies Championship from October 19 to 22. The LPGA Shanghai was the first international golf event in China since the pandemic. Meanwhile, defending champion Tom Kim closed with a 25-foot birdie putt to fire a nine-under par 62 and share the lead after Saturday’s third round of the PGA’s Shriners Children’s Open. The 21-year-old from South Korea birdied four of the last six holes to stand alongside Canada’s Adam Hadwin and American Lanto Griffin on 15-under 198 after 54 holes at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas.

Kim, a runner-up in this year’s British Open at Royal Liverpool, made nine birdies in all plus an eagle against two bogeys after starting the day six strokes adrift. “It was great. It’s not bogey-free but it’s still nine-under par,” Kim said. “I played great today. “I got into that place where I was comfortable and I was very calm. I didn’t feel like I was rushing into anything. I was just really in my place. “I had a lot of good shots. I had a lot of good looks. I left myself in some tough situations but recovered really well.”

Hadwin, who began the day five off the pace, fired a bogey-free 63, his eight birdies including a tap-in at the par-5 16th after driving the green in two and another at the par-3 17th after landing his tee shot within three feet of the hole. “I was a little off early,” Hadwin said. “I chipped in on one to settle things down. I had a great up and down from just behind the green on three as well. “And then I started hitting some really good shots. I ‘flushed’ it out there. I’ve been hitting it really well for three days. Made a few more putts today.”

Hadwin’s only PGA victory came at the 2017 Valspar Championship but he lost a playoff to American Rickie Fowler in July at Detroit. Griffin, a 36-hole co-leader whose only PGA win came at the 2019 Houston Open, began with 12 pars then birdied three of the last six holes to fire 68 and stay at the top. “That was frustrating. I was hitting good putts but they weren’t quite right,” Griffin said of his birdie-free start. “They were just all on the edges. Just tried to hang in there. “I’m pretty proud of myself for hanging in there on the back and giving myself a shot for tomorrow.”

Kim seeks his third career PGA title after triumphs in last year’s Wyndham Championship and in Vegas, where he won by three strokes and also fired 62 in the third round. “Nice to come back here the next year and shoot the same score as I did last year in round three,” Kim said. “I didn’t try to force anything. I just tried to hit the best shots I can and if it works out great. I’m glad it worked. “Whatever happens, I’m glad I gave myself a chance tomorrow.” Canada’s Taylor Pendrith, South Korea’s Lee Kyung-Hoon and American Vince Whaley were one stroke back sharing third on 199. – AFP