Hsu Wei-Ling rode an eagle at the 15th hole to an emotional two-stroke victory in the Pure Silk Championship on Sunday, capturing a long-awaited first LPGA title.
“I thought I wouldn’t cry,” said the 26-year-old, who indeed broke down in tears after a two-putt par at the final hole to seal the win.
But the emotion had been building since her eagle at the par-five 15th, where her second shot kicked onto the green and she made the putt and suddenly find herself with a two-shot lead.
Playing partner Moriya Jutanugarn — who started the day tied with Hsu for the lead — had arrived at 15 with a two-stroke lead, but the Thai found a fairway bunker with her second shot and ended up with a double bogey at the easiest hole on the Kingsmill Resort course in Williamsburg, Virginia.
“On 15, I knew there was a good chance,” Hsu said.
“I thought, I’ve been waiting seven years for this, I don’t want to wait anymore,” added the 26-year-old, who graduated from the Symetra Tour to play her rookie LPGA season in 2015, had 10 top-10 finishes, including one runner-up, on her resume.
She padded her lead with a birdie at 16, finishing with a three-under par 68 for a 13-under total of 271.
Moriya rebounded with her fifth birdie of the day at the 17th on the way to a one-under par 70 and solo second on 11-under 273.
She was one stroke in front of American Jessica Korda, who had three birdies and two bogeys — including a three-putt at the last — in a one-under 70.
Hsu became the first Taiwanese player to win on the LPGA tour since Tseng Yani won the 2012 Kia Classic.
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