Tseng wins Oz Open going away

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A birdie blitz on the back nine enabled Yani Tseng to beat Laura Davies by three strokes at the Women’s Australian Open.

A birdie blitz on the back nine enabled Taiwan’s Yani Tseng to beat seasoned Brit Laura Davies by three strokes at the Handa Women’s Australian Open.

Tseng, currently number six in the world, but whose last victory came on the LPGA Tour in 2008, posted seven birdies on her last 12 holes at the tough, par-73 Commonwealth Golf Club in Melbourne to shoot a bogey-free 7-under 66 and finish with a 9-under 283 that was three shots too good for defending champion Davies

The 46-year-old English star, who picked up her 73rd worldwide title when she won the New Zealand Women’s Open in February, birdied the final hole for a 71.

Australian number one Karrie Webb, a four-time Open winner who won last week’s ANZ Ladies Masters after closing with a stunning 61 at Royal Pines, led the third round here by four shots from Tseng, but missed three birdie putts inside four feet on the back nine and this time stumbled in on the final day with a one-over 74, to finish third at 5-under

Tseng was delighted by her return to the winners podium.

“It was very exciting, my whole body is still shaking,” she said. “My heart is still at over 200 beats a minute. I just felt I needed to get some more birdies coming home – and it worked out.”

She closed that back-nine birdie blitz with one each at the final two holes after hitting 17 of the 18 greens in regulation in what was a golfing master-class.

Australia’s Katherine Hull (72) and Italy’s Giulia Sergas (74) tied for fourth at 4 under while Alexis Thompson, the 15-year-old US amateur star, closed with a 74 to tie for 16th at 3 over.
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