1 of 5 | Ruoning Yin of China celebrates with the championship trophy at the 2023 Women's PGA Championship on Sunday at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
June 26 (UPI) -- Ruoning Yin made four birdies en route to a final-round 4-under 67, edging Yuka Saso by one stroke to claim her first major title at the 2023 Women's PGA Championship in Springfield, N.J. Yin, who was 8-under through four rounds, claimed a $1.5 million first-place prize Sunday at the Lower Course at Baltusrol Golf Club. Saso was 5-under over her final 18 holes and finished at 7-under for the tournament. Advertisem*nt
"It still feels unreal," Yin, 20, told reporters. "I didn't even think about it. After nine holes, I started thinking 'maybe I have a chance to win this championship.'"
Five golfers tied for third. Rookie Rose Zhang tied for eighth, her first Top 10 finish at a major since turning professional last month. World No. 1 Jin Young Ko tied for 20th.
Leona Maguire, the second- and third-round leader, held a one-stroke edge on Jenny Shin to start the final round. Stephanie Meadow entered Sunday in third place. First-round leader Lee-Anne Pace and Yin started the day three strokes back of Maguire.
Maguire went on to card a 3-over 74 over her final 18 holes for an 11th place finish. Shin was 1-over on Sunday and tied for eighth. Meadow was 1-under over her final 18 holes and tied for third. Pace carded two double bogeys en route to a 5-over 76 in the final round. She tied for 30th.
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Carlota Ciganda, who tied for third, and 11th-place Perrine Delacour fired matching 7-under 64s for the best scores of the final round.
Yin made par on her first six holes Sunday in Springfield. She birdied No. 7 and finished the front nine with two more pars for a 1-under 34 at the turn. She went on to make par on Nos. 10, 11 and 12. Yin made birdie again on Nos. 13 and 14 to move to 3-under on the day. She made par on her next three holes.
Yin then sank a birdie putt on No. 18 to pass Saso on the leaderboard and win the tournament.
"I didn't think too much," Yin said. "My goal was just no three-putts because the last couple days I made five bogeys, and four of them is made by three-putts. Today just no three-putts."
Saso made six birdies over her final 12 holes. She carded a bogey on No. 16, but birdied No. 18 en route to her $875,130 second-place prize.
The U.S. Women's Open, the third major of the LPGA season, will be held from July 6 through 9 at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif.
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All eyes on Rose Zhang at PGA Women's Championship
Rose Zhang hits her tee shot on the 14th hole in the first round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J. on June 22, 2023. She ended the round tied for 10th at 1-under. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
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