Tsenging Her Praises
At the beginning of the final round of the LPGA Championship, I would have bet the ranch that either Lorena Ochoa or Annika Sorenstam would wind up winning. And I would have bet the ranch that Jee Young Lee and Maria Hjorth would not. One out of two.
Yani Tseng is the player I overlooked earlier today, not because I don't believe in her - I've been singing her praises since the early days of Waggle Room - but because Sorenstam and Ochoa were right there.
Annika gave it a good run, but just couldn't make any putts on Sunday. Lorena fell off the pace on the back nine - she just seemed a little out of sorts - before coming on a little at the end and winding up in a tie for third with Sorenstam.
Here's what the final leaderboard looked like:
Yani Tseng, 73-70-65-68--276
Maria Hjorth, 68-72-65-71--276
Lorena Ochoa, 69-65-72-71--277
Annika Sorenstam, 70-68-68-71--277
Laura Diaz, 71-68-69-70--278
Full results
Laura Diaz was as Laura Diaz has always been - good, just not good enough. Jee Young Lee, the third-round leader, collapsed with a 78, finishing tied for 18th. Lee has fantastic skills, and I think she has some good wins in her. But I also think those good wins are still a few years away.
Maria Hjorth had a few shaky holes near the beginning and middle of the back nine. But she kept reeling it back in. And Tseng was long-and-wrong with the driver a few times, but showed no signs of nerves. She was unflappable. Did you see any flaps? I saw no flapping. At no point did she appear flapped. (OK, I beat that one to death. Now I'm flapped.)
And while Maria Hjorth had several putts to win, on the final hole of regulation and in the playoff, but missed them, when Tseng had a putt to win, on the fourth playoff hole, she sank it.
If you're not a close watcher of the LPGA you might think this was a fluke win. Don't think that. It's not. Yani Tseng has a big future ahead of her, and she was close to winning several times previously this year, with a pair of runners-up. And she entered the LPGA Championship sixth on the money list.
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great approach
how about the two approach shots Tseng hit to the 18th green in the playoffs ? both out of the rough – one sort of behind a tree, and the second from an iffy lie in the rough. (that ball could’ve jumped or gotten jerked left into the lake) GREAT shots – especially by a rookie in the middle of a bunch of firsts for herself – major contention, playoff, playoff in a major….Obviously Stu and Con’s confidence in her paid off.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Jun 8, 2008 10:23 PM EDT 0 recs
can't take any credit
except for jinxing Lee—I picked her to win this week.
hey, but thanks to Tseng I still won the Pakpicker! ;)
by The Constructivist on Jun 9, 2008 4:54 AM EDT 0 recs







