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  • Kia Classic final-round notes and interviews

    Kia Classic final-round notes and interviews

    Kia Classic La Costa Resort and Spa Carlsbad, Calif. Final-round notes and interviews March 25, 2012

    Yani Tseng -14, Rolex Rankings No. 1 Sun Young Yoo -8, Rolex Rankings No. 45 Jiyai Shin -7, Rolex Rankings No. 8

    Rolex Rankings No. 1 Yani Tseng captured her third victory of the 2012 LPGA season and her 15th career win after shooting a final-round 70 to secure a six-shot victory at the Kia Classic. Tseng entered Sunday leading by three shots over Rolex Rankings No. 8 Jiyai Shin but her lead shrunk to just two shots after Shin’s birdie on the second.

    Even though Shin inched a little closer to the world’s No. 1, there never seemed to be a question that this would once again be Tseng’s day. A birdie by Tseng on the par-4 fifth extended her lead back to three and from there, she never looked back. The only blip in her round came with a bogey on the 18th hole when her win was already well in hand. In addition to the $255,000 first-place prize check, Tseng also takes home a Kia Optima Limited following the win.

    The victory is Tseng’s second-consecutive following last week’s triumph at the RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup and the third in five attempts this season. She has led or co-led after each of the last eight rounds dating back to the first round in Phoenix last week and has won seven of the last eight times she entered the final round with a lead. Tseng’s round of 70 on Sunday also marked her 10th consecutive under-par round dating back to the Honda LPGA Thailand last month.

    Making her mark: With her win at the Kia Classic, Tseng becomes the second youngest LPGA player to reach 15 career victories at the age of 23 years, 2 months, 2 days. The only player to reach the mark faster than Tseng is Nancy Lopez, who was 22 years, 5 months and 18 days when she won her 15th career victory at the 1979 Lady Keystone Open on June 24, 1979. Closing Time: This marks the 7th time in Yani Tseng’s career that she has won an event after leading or co-leading heading into the final round. She went 0-for-4 to start her career in 2008 and 2009, but since then she’s 7-for-8, her only loss coming at last year’s Kraft Nabisco Championship, where Stacy Lewis became a Rolex First-Time Winner in 2011.

    It’s also the second straight week that Tseng has captured a victory when holding a 54-hole lead. Tseng was tied for the lead with Ai Miyazato heading into the final round of last week’s RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup before shooting a final-round 68 to capture the victory.

    “I feel much more comfortable than the first time, of course,” Tseng said in reference to holding on to a final-round lead. “Today the first hole I just kind of felt like every day is the same.  I didn't feel like today was Sunday.  I didn't feel like I had a three‑shot lead.  I just focused on playing one shot at a time.  I think I did a good job to just kind of focus on myself instead of look at what Sun Young is doing or Jiyai is doing.  Just really focused on what I can do and try to improve and make birdies.  So that's very good.  That's how I learned over the past few years”

    Is the Hall Call coming soon? Tseng earned her 23rd point towards qualifying for the LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame with her victory on Sunday at the Kia Classic. Twenty-seven points and 10 years of service on the LPGA Tour are needed for induction.

    Two points are on the line at the Kraft

  • Kia Classic Final Results

    Kia Classic Final Results

    2012 Kia Classic
    Final Tournament Summary
    Sunday, March 25, 2012
    Purse: $1,700,000.00
    La Costa Resort, Legends Course
    Par: 36 36 - 72 Yardage: 6500

  • In the winner's circle with Yani Tseng

    In the winner's circle with Yani Tseng

    Kia Classic
    March 25, 2012

    Hometown/Current residence – Taoyuan, Taiwan/Orlando, Florida
    Birthdate – Jan. 23, 1989 – currently 23 years, 2 months, 2 days
    Qualified for LPGA Tour – 6th at 2007 LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament
    Turned Professional – January 2007

    15th career LPGA victory: 2008 McDonald's LPGA Championship Presented by Coca-Cola. 2009 LPGA Corning Classic. 2010 Kraft Nabisco Championship, RICOH Women's British Open, P&G NW Arkansas Championship Presented by Walmart.2011 Honda LPGA Thailand, LPGA State Farm Classic, Wegmans LPGA Championship, RICOH Women's British Open, Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Presented by P&G, LPGA HanaBank Championship, Sunrise LPGA Taiwan Championship 2012 Honda LPGA Thailand, RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup, Kia Classic

    Increased LPGA career earnings to $8,333,269 – moves to 13th on the LPGA Career Money List

    3rd win in five starts this year and 6th win in last 12 starts dating back to Walmart NW Arkansas Championship in September 2011

    Earned her 23rd point toward the LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame – needs four more points to qualify and 10 years of LPGA service

    15 LPGA wins ties Sally Little on the LPGA All-Time Wins List.

    Maintains her lead in the Rolex Player of the Year race (99 points) and 2012 LPGA Official Money List with $792,286

    Wins by other LPGA greats at Yani’s age (23 years, 2 months, 2 days):
    Player Wins by Yani’s age Career Wins
    Kathy Whitworth 2 wins 88 wins (1st on All-Time Career Win List)
    Mickey Wright 5 wins 82 wins (2nd)
    Annika Sorenstam 0 wins 72 wins (3rd)
    Nancy Lopez 17 wins 48 wins (7th)
    Karrie Webb 8 wins 38 wins (11th)
    Lorena Ochoa 2 wins 27 wins (19th)
    Se Ri Pak 8 wins 25 wins (23rd)

    Tiger Pace?
    Age when Tiger reached 15th career victory: 23 years, 10 months, 7 days (The 1999 WGC-American Express Championship)

    Marks the 7th time in Tseng’s career that she’s captured a victory after leading or co-leading heading into the final round. After going 0-for-4 to start her career in 2008 and 2009, she’s now 7-for-8 with her only loss coming at last year’s Kraft Nabisco Championship.

  • Tseng's dominance continues with win at Kia Classic

    Tseng's dominance continues with win at Kia Classic

    Tseng’s dominance continues with win at Kia Classic

    Rolex Rankings No. 1 Yani Tseng’s dominance of the LPGA Tour continued on Sunday with a six-shot victory over Sun Young Yoo at the 2012 Kia Classic. At the age of 23 years, 2 months and 2 days, Tseng becomes the second-youngest player in LPGA history to 15 victories behind Nancy Lopez.

    The victory is Tseng’s second-consecutive following last week’s triumph at the RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup and the third in five attempts this season. She has led or co-led after each of the last eight rounds dating back to the first round in Phoenix last week and has won seven of the last eight times she entered the final round with a lead. She now turns her attention to next week’s Kraft Nabisco Championship, the first major of the golf season, where she will seek her second Kraft title and sixth major win.

    Now the proud owner of a Kia Optima Limited following the win, Tseng carded just four bogies en route to a 14-under-par 274 after 72 holes this week at the La Costa Resort and Spa’s South Course. Amazingly, the victory could have been even more convincing if not for five short birdie putt misses during Saturday’s third round. Regardless, the amicable Tseng has now carded 12 of her last 15 rounds in the 60’s.

    None of Tseng’s competitors seemed up to the challenge this week with the Taiwanese star extending her lead after each round. Former Rolex Rankings No. 1 Jiyai Shin had the best opportunity to test Tseng, trailing by just two strokes entering the following round. Shin, who has now recorded three top-10’s in 2012, finished the week in a tie for third with Shanshan Feng.

    Sun Young Yoo finished solo second at 8-under-par 280, her first top-10 of the season.

    Feng continued her solid play with a final-round 67 and a tie for third with Shin. The 22-year-old, who several weeks ago became the first winner from Mainland China on the Ladies European Tour, has now finished in the top-5 in each of her three starts this year on the LPGA.

    The win nets Tseng a 23rd point toward qualification for the LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame. Twenty-seven points and 10 years of service on the LPGA Tour are needed for induction. Two points are on the line at the Kraft Nabisco Championship.

    Visit LPGA.com later today for more in-depth notes and interviews.

  • Kia Classic third-round notes and interviews

    Kia Classic third-round notes and interviews

    Kia Classic
    La Costa Resort and Spa
    Carlsbad, Calif.
    Second-round notes and interviews
    March 23, 2012

    Yani Tseng -12, Rolex Rankings No. 1
    Jiyai Shin -9, Rolex Rankings No. 8
    Caroline Hedwall -7, Rolex Rankings No. 24

    Rolex Rankings No. 1 Yani Tseng is seeking her third victory of the season and yet another point toward the LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame following a 69 on Friday at the Kia Classic. Tseng will try to capture her 15th career LPGA Tour win tomorrow as she takes a three-shot lead over Jiyai Shin into the final round at La Costa Resort and Spa. The 69 today was the eighth sub-70 round in her last nine attempts and the ninth consecutive under-par round dating back to the Honda LPGA Thailand for Tseng.

    Tseng’s day, which climaxed with a 370 yard drive on the 18th hole where her ball hit the cart path, rolled over a bridge, could have been much better if not for four short birdie misses on the front nine. The 23-year-old also missed a short birdie putt on the 17th hole, but managed to maintain her lead entering final round play.

    “No. 18 that was a pretty lucky shot,” Tseng said. “I don't know how that happened. It goes over the bridge, and the bridge was like three yards wide. People are telling me, Yani, you just hit a 370 yard drive there, so that was probably the longest drive I've ever hit.

    “I was very happy because I just got lucky there. To be able to hit it on the green for the second shot. But overall with my round I just wasn't happy. I couldn't believe how much short putt I missed out there.”

    Closing Time: This marks the 12th time in Yani Tseng’s career that she has led or co-led heading into the final round of a tournament. In the 11 previous instances, Tseng has gone on to win six times. She went 0 for 4 to start her career in 2008 and 2009, but since then she’s 6 for 7, her only loss coming at last year’s Kraft Nabisco Championship, where Stacy Lewis became a Rolex First-Time Winner in 2011. Tseng was tied for the lead with Ai Miyazato heading into the final round of last week’s RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup before shooting a final-round 68 to capture the victory.

    So how does Tseng feel heading into the final round of play this week?

    “I kind of feel pretty relaxed,” Tseng said. “I mean, I was pretty happy today. But after I'm going to go putt a little bit and practice a little bit. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow. I'll play with Jiyai, maybe. I mean, we're good friends, so I think we're going to have lots of fun on the golf course and try to beat each other.”

    Return of the final-round queen? Jiyai Shin earned the nickname “Final Round Queen” early in her career for her propensity for coming back and winning in the final rounds. Now she’ll have another opportunity to see if she can stage a fourth-round comeback.

    Shin will enter Sunday sitting three strokes behind Rolex Rankings No. 1 Yani Tseng. For Shin, who lost to Sandra Gal on the 72nd hole at last year’s Kia Classic when it was played at Pacific Palms just outside Los Angeles, it will be another chance to claim a tournament that she would very much like to win.

    “This tournament is a Korean company that sponsors it, so I'm all the time thinking about that,” Shin said. “I appreciate the sponsor every time. In California, here they have a lot of Korean people, so they're watching and cheering for me, so it feels like I'm really ready to go w

    • POS NAME SCORES TOTAL TO PAR OFFICIAL MONEY
    1 Yani Tseng 67-68-69-70 274 -14 $255,000
    2 Sun Young Yoo 69-73-67-71 280 -8 $156,242
    T3 Shanshan Feng 72-71-71-67 281 -7 $100,511
    T3 Jiyai Shin 68-71-68-74 281 -7 $100,511
    T5 Ai Miyazato 72-70-71-70 283 -5 $64,156
    T5 Caroline Hedwall 67-72-70-74 283 -5 $64,156
    T7 Jodi Ewart 70-69-73-72 284 -4 $45,337
    T7 Se Ri Pak 71-66-73-74 284 -4 $45,337
    9 Brittany Lincicome 68-73-73-71 285 -3 $38,066
    T10 Catriona Matthew 79-70-68-69 286 -2 $33,361
    T10 Chella Choi 71-71-70-74 286 -2 $33,361
    T12 Azahara Munoz 71-73-71-72 287 -1 $27,287
    T12 Suzann Pettersen 68-75-71-73 287 -1 $27,287
    T12 Inbee Park 72-70-70-75 287 -1 $27,287
    T12 Alison Walshe 73-66-73-75 287 -1 $27,287
    T16 Eun-Hee Ji 76-70-71-71 288 E $22,840
    T16 Mina Harigae
    Should the PGA Tour crack down on slow play? Kevin Na's glacial pace at The Players Championship has set a lot of tongues wagging on the issue. Of course, Na has been a very slow player for years, as have quite a few other tour members.

    The tour has slow play rules in place already that would probably speed up play if they were simply enforced - because enforcing them would lead to penalty strokes. As it stands, the PGA Tour hasn't assessed a penalty stroke to a player because of slow play in 20 years.

    Is an individual golfer's pace of play even the main issue in overlong rounds? In comments made prior to The Players Championship, PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said no. Finchem said the issue is one of logistics: With 150-plus player fields, there are inevitable bottleneck areas on every golf course where play is going to back up.

    We see that on the courses we play on busy days. Those par-5s where players wait to have a go at the green in two. On particularly busy days, just about any par-3. Those are places where recreational golfers on the local course will have to wait on a busy day, and they are places where the pros in a large field are going to wait, too. Finchem claimed that reducing field size to, say, 120 players, would solve the issue. But we all know there's zero chance of that happening (and Finchem wasn't proposing it, merely claiming field size and course logistics play a larger role in long tour rounds than the pace of individual golfers). But we've also all seen very long rounds in short-field pro tournaments, and "bottlenecking" can't explain 6-hour matches at the Ryder Cup.

    In my opinion, absolutely nothing will be done about slow play on the PGA Tour until or unless one thing happens: until or unless the television networks state, or the tour comes to believe, that PGA Tour telecasts will be worth less money unless pace of play improves. Otherwise, there are too many players - probably a majority - who think, "I'm playing for millions of dollars, I'll take as long on a shot as I need."

    Unless it starts to hit players and the tour in the pocketbook, slow play in tour events will be around forever. And so will complaining about slow play in tour events.

    See also:
    PGA Tour slow play policy
    How recreational golfers can avoid slow play

  • This Week: Nelson and Match Play

    This Week: Nelson and Match Play
    This week in golf features the HP Byron Nelson Championship on the PGA Tour, plus match play tournaments on both the European and LPGA tours.

    On the LPGA Tour, ...

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    Why Kevin Na Doesn't Have to Count Those 'Whiffs'
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    IRVING, Texas -- One of Ryan Palmer's good friends is suspended New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton. After Palmer lost in a playoff to Keegan Bradley at last year's HP Byron Nelson Championship, Payton offered a way to deal with the disappointment.

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    MORE INTERVIEWS: HP Byron Nelson Championship THE MODERATOR: Ryan Palmer, thanks for joining us for a few minutes. Clean card, 6 under, 64 in round 1 of the HP Byron Nelson Championship, capped off for a nice save there for par at nine. Comments on the round?

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