Yin Ruoning Wins Women’s PGA Championship
China’s Yin Ruoning has won the Women’s PGA Championship, her first major title, after sinking a 10-foot birdie putt on the final hole. The 20-year-old from Shanghai finished 72 holes at Baltusrol on 8-under 276, defeating Japan’s Yuka Saso by one stroke. Yin took home the $1.5 million top prize and became only the second woman from China to win a major title after Feng Shanshan, who captured the 2012 Women’s PGA crown.
Yin’s Winning Performance
Yin fired a 4-under 67 to secure her victory in the year’s second women’s major tournament. An early afternoon storm halted play for almost two hours, but after play resumed, Yin birdied the 13th and 14th to grab a share of the lead. She parred the next three holes as rivals faltered and won at the last after hitting every green in regulation in the final two rounds.
Yin’s Ball Striking
Yin credited her ball striking for her win, saying, “For last couple days, my ball striking was perfect. I only missed six greens in four days so I think my ball striking was pretty good.” She added, “My goal for today, just no three-putts. And I did it too. I didn’t think too much. Just no three-putts because last few days I made five bogeys and four of them were three-putts.”
Third-Place Pack
A third-place pack on 278 included Spain’s Carlota Ciganda, Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist, China’s Lin Xiyu, American Megan Khang, and Northern Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow. Japan’s Ayaka Furue, South Korean Jenny Shin, and American Rose Zhang shared eighth on 279.
Lin Unable to Match Yin
Among those unable to match Yin down the stretch was Lin, who shared the lead when the storm struck. “It’s pretty amazing,” Lin said of Yin’s victory. “She’s young and she’s so talented. She’s definitely really good at dealing with pressure. It’s great to see that.” Shin and Lin were deadlocked atop the leaderboard when play resumed after the storm but seven others were within two strokes. Lin held the lead alone after Shin made a bogey at the eighth and kept it until Yin birdied the 13th and 14th and Saso made her fourth birdie in six holes at 15 to share the lead on 7-under, although Saso stumbled with a bogey at 16. Lin found water off the tee at the par-5 18th and closed with a bogey to leave Yin alone in the lead.
Saso’s Performance
Saso, a 22-year-old Filipino-born Japanese star who won the 2021 US Women’s Open, birdied the par-5 18th to match Yin for the lead at 7-under on the rain-soaked layout at Springfield, New Jersey. However, Yin answered by landing her approach 10 feet from the hole and rolled in the tension-packed birdie putt for the victory.
Yin’s Previous LPGA Title
Yin had joined Feng as the only Chinese women to win an LPGA title when she captured the LA Open in April.
Conclusion
Yin Ruoning has won her first major title, defeating Japan’s Yuka Saso by one stroke in the Women’s PGA Championship. Yin took home the $1.5 million top prize and became only the second woman from China to win a major title after Feng Shanshan. Yin credited her ball striking for her win, saying, “For last couple days, my ball striking was perfect.” She added, “My goal for today, just no three-putts. And I did it too. I didn’t think too much. Just no three-putts because last few days I made five bogeys and four of them were three-putts.” Yin had joined Feng as the only Chinese women to win an LPGA title when she captured the LA Open in April.