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GOLF RESOURCE GUIDE:
Kraft Nabisco Championship
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 Yani Tseng shot a 68 to win her second major (PHOTO: Eddie Meeks). In this year’s final round, Yani Tseng engineered a dramatic display of power and precision early in the day to make sure the conclusion would be a little less interesting. The 21-year-old native of Taiwan, who began Sunday a stroke behind behind 54-hole leader Karen Stupples and tied with Suzann Pettersen, seized control early and never looked back. Tseng shot a 4-under-par 68 to post a 13-under total and win by one over Norway’s Pettersen, who posted a 69. Now the owner of two major titles, Tseng holed a long chip for eagle on the par-5 second, birdied the third and then made a bunch of pars on the front nine while Stupples and Pettersen stumbled on a layout where birdies were available but limited thanks to fast greens and thick rough that became more difficult each day. By the sixth hole, Tseng was three shots clear of the field and maintained her edge throughout the day with two more birdies against only one bogey. “I had an eagle on the second hole, and I know today is going to be my day,” Tseng said in her post-round press conference, which was briefly interrupted by aftershocks from a 6.9 earthquake in Baja California. “I just keep telling myself commit to the shot and keep my tempo right, and just keep smiling all 18 holes.” What could have been the most dramatic scene of the day didn’t quite materialize. Down by two strokes on the 18th tee, Pettersen went for the reachable par-5 in two and placed her approach on the fringe about 25 feet from the hole. An eagle would have forced Tseng to make her birdie putt and win outright, but Pettersen’s bid barely missed. “Geez, that was a big chip. I was scared to look, and when I looked back, I saw the ball just past the hole,” Tseng said.  “That chip was pretty straightforward, and I gave it a go,” said a somewhat glum Pettersen (pictured), who has now finished runner-up in three of the last four Kraft Nabisco Championships.Pettersen and Tseng, good friends and frequent practice round partners, placed a series of side bets when they were paired in Saturday’s third round. They kept more to themselves Sunday but still enjoyed each other’s company. “If I can't win, I'm happy she won,” said Pettersen. “She played great today, and she deserved to win.” South Korean Song-Hee Kim fired her third sub-par round of the tournament, a 2-under-par 70, to finish alone in third at 9-under par. Stupples, like Tseng seeking her second major title at the day’s onset, couldn’t rediscover the form of her previous three rounds. The 2004 Women’s British Open winner ballooned to a 78 and finished tied for fourth at 6-under with three other major champions — Jiyai Shin, Karrie Webb and Cristie Kerr. Within earshot of the lead through 54 holes, Michelle Wie struggled Sunday, shooting a 78 to fall into a tie for 27th. Tseng, who still maintains part-time residence in nearby Beaumont after moving to Orlando, Fla., last year, won the McDonald’s LPGA Championship as a rookie in 2008. She’s won once since that major — at last year’s LPGA Corning Classic — and contended for several titles since then. Crediting a positive mental approach supplied by her coach, Dr. Deborah Graham, as well as an off-season pep talk from idol Annika Sorenstam (who happens to be the previous owner of Tseng’s Orlando house), Tseng, who pocketed $300,000 for the victory, has gained membership in an elite sorority — multiple major winners. She becomes the 41st player to hold that distinction, and only eight of the other 40 remain active on Tour. And she’s done so in a little more than two seasons. For complete results, visit lpga.com. ALSO SEE: Tseng seizes Kraft Nabisco Championship title for second career LPGA major Notebook: USC's Song is low amateur at Kraft Nabisco Championship Final round photos from Kraft Nabisco Championship Kim leads through two rounds of Kraft Nabisco Championship Tseng feels right at home at Kraft Nabisco Championship Pettersen opens with lead at Kraft Nabisco Championship |
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