YANI TSENG SCORES BACK-TO-BACK WINS IN ASSIE OPEN

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR

By BETHAN CUTLER

Melbourne. Taiwan’s Yani Tseng became just the second player in the championship’s history to successfully defend her title with a seven-stroke win at the 2011 ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open at Commonwealth Golf Club in Melbourne today.

The 22-year-old, who was named Rolex Player of the Year in 2010, fired a final round 2-under par 71  to finish with rounds of 70-67-68-71 (276)

“It feels very good to win by seven shots. I have not had that feeling before and it feels very good. And I enjoyed the crowd on the 18th hole,” Tseng said.

She said the win set her up for her tilt at the Number 1 spot on the Rolex World Rankings this year. 

“I just feel more confident and relaxed. Before I was thinking too much and trying to win. Now I know I don't need it. I stay focused on my swing and play one shot at a time. I know I can win.”

Tseng said she was looking forward to defending her title in 2012.

 “I always enjoy it here. I love the city; I love the people and all the volunteers. They are very nice to me.”

World Number 1 Jiyai Shin, Korean Eun Hee Ji and England’s Melissa Reid finished in a tie for second. Reid shot the equal best round of the day with a 5-under par 68. Ji and Shin finished with final rounds of 74 (+1) and 75 (+2) respectively.

Round 1 co-leader Jennifer Song finished in fifth place following her final round 2-under par 71.

Germany’s Sandra Gal finished with an even par 73 in sixth place.

Australia’s leading pair were Karrie Webb and Katherine Hull who finished in a tie for seventh with American Cindy LaCrosse at 5-under par.

Thirteen year old New Zealander Lydia Ko finished in a tie for 12^th place as the leading amateur.

ALL THE FINAL TOTALS

Par 292 (4x73)

276 - Yani Tseng (TPE) 70 67 68 71

283 - Melissa Reid (ENG) 70 73 72 68, Eun Hee Ji (KOR) 69 70 70 74, Jiyai Shin (KOR) 67 72 69 75

285 - Jennifer Song (USA) 67 73 74 71

286 - Sandra Gal (GER) 72 71 70 73

287 - Karrie Webb (AUS) 72 71 74 70, Cindy LaCrosse (USA) 72 68 73 74, Katherine Hull (AUS) 73 71 67 76

288 - Karen Stupples (ENG) 70 76 74 68, Nikki Campbell (AUS) 69 72 72 75

289 - So-Yeon Ryu (KOR) 72 69 75 73, Lydia Ko (Am) (NZ) 73 73 68 75, Mariajo Uribe (COL) 72 70 70 77

290 - Christel Boeljon (NL) 75 72 71 72, Becky Brewerton (WAL) 71 74 72 73, Laura Davies (ENG) 71 76 69 74, Jeehae Lee (KOR) 75 70 71 74, Christina Kim (USA) 76 68 71 75, Hannah Jun (USA) 72 74 69 75, Tiffany Joh (USA) 70 72 71 77

291 - Rachel Bailey (AUS) 72 74 71 74, Caroline Masson (GER) 72 72 71 76, Nikki Garrett (AUS) 71 72 71 77

292 - Frances Bondad (AUS) 71 72 74 75, Rebecca Coakley (IRE) 68 76 73 75, Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA) 69 76 72 75, Mollie Fankhauser (USA) 72 74 71 75, You Na PARK (KOR) 73 73 70 76

293 - Trish Johnson (ENG) 76 72 74 71, Reilley Rankin (USA) 73 76 72 72, Hyun-Su Kim (KOR) 74 74 71 74, Karine Icher (FRA) 72 76 69 76, Lee-Anne Pace (SA) 73 72 69 79

294 - Stacy Lewis (USA) 73 74 73 74, Cecilia Cho (Am) (NZ) 73 73 73 75, Mina Harigae (USA) 74 70 73 77, Linda Wessberg (SWE) 73 72 70 79

295 - Sophie Giquel-Bettan (FRA) 72 73 73 77, Pernilla Lindberg (SWE) 74 72 72 77, Gwladys Nocera (FRA) 70 74 72 79

296 - Caroline Hedwall (SWE) 74 73 74 75, Stephanie Na (AUS) 74 73 72 77, Becky Morgan (WAL) 69 72 75 80

297 - Danielle Bowers (ENG) 70 75 79 73, Alison Walshe (USA) 74 74 72 77, Lindsey Wright (AUS) 73 73 74 77, Stacy Lee Bregman (SA) 70 76 71 80

298 - Marianne Skarpnord (NOR) 78 70 74 76, Giulia Sergas (ITA) 70 74 75 79, Maria Hernandez (ESP) 72 75 71 80, Annie Choi (Am) (KOR) 73 71 72 82

299 - Jessica Parker (AUS) 72 75 73 79

300 - Tamie Durdin (AUS) 73 76 77 74, Louise Friberg (SWE) 72 77 75 76, Jaclyn Sweeney (USA) 72 76 75 77, Nicole Hage (USA) 75 73 72 80

301 - Jean Chua (MAL) 76 69 72 84

302 - Beth Allen (USA) 71 78 76 77, Florentyna Parker (ENG) 75 73 76 78, Sophie Walker (ENG) 73 76 74 79, Rebecca Hudson (ENG) 74 75 73 80, Amelia Lewis (USA) 74 75 73 80, Anja Monke (GER) 71 70 76 85

303 - Leanne Bowditch (AUS) 76 73 75 79

304 - Titiya Plucksataporn (THA) 76 73 74 81

305 - Clare Queen (SCO) 71 77 76 81

307 - Felicity Johnson (ENG) 72 77 75 83

308 - Ashley Ona (Am) (AUS) 74 74 80 80, Elizabeth Bennett (ENG) 72 77 75 84

309 - Ryann O'Toole (USA) 76 73 78 82

MELISSA REID TIES FOR SECOND PLACE, KAREN STUPPLES JOINT 10th

England's Melissa Reid (pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency) finished strongly with a 68, the best last round alongside that of compatriot Karen Stupples, to figure in a three-way tie for second place on 286 alongside the South Korean pair Eun-Hee Ji and Jiyai Shin.
Melissa's earlier rouonds were 70, 73 and 72. She won Australian $36,500 (32,847 Euros).
Karen Stupples also made the top 10 with scores of 70,m 76, 74 and 68 for 288. She earned Australian $8,250 (8,390 Euros).
Scotland's Clare Queen totalled 148 for the first two rounds and 157 for the third and fourth with scores of 71, 77, 76 and 81 for a total of 305 and 67th place which earned her Australian $650 (1,136 Euros).
The only Scot to beat the halfway cut - and she had to come through the Monday qualifier - Clare had three double bogeys - at the long second, the short 15th and the par-4 17th in halves of 39 and 42. She birdied the fifth, short seventh and 18th but bogeyed the fourth, sixth, ninth, 11th, and 16th.


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