Rookie Tseng Survives Playoff To Win LPGA Championship

June 8, 2008 8:49 p.m. EST

Havre De Grace, MD (AHN) -- Rookie Yani Tseng, a 19-year-old from Taiwan, sank a five-foot birdie putt on the fourth playoff hole to beat Maria Hjorth and win the LPGA Championship on Sunday.

Tseng fired a 4-under 68 in the final round to become the second-youngest woman to win a major and the first rookie winner since Se Ri Pak at the 1998 McDonald's LPGA Championship.

Morgan Pressel became the youngest major champion a year ago, winning at the Kraft Nabisco at 18.

Hjorth closed with a 71, missing a 12-foot birdie putt before Tseng drained the winner.

Both Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa missed the playoff by one stroke.

Ochoa, trying to win a third straight major, went 14 straight holes without a birdie. She birdied two of the three final holes for a 71.

Said Ochoa, "It wasn't my time. I am not ashamed. I'm proud of my finish. Now, I move on and try to win the next few tournaments."

Sorenstam, with 10 majors under her belt, left a 15-foot birdie putt short on No. 18 and also had to settle for a final-round 71. She also twice missed birdie putts inside five-feet on par 5s.

Said Sorenstam, who was trying to join Mickey Wright as the only four-time winner of the McDonald's LPGA Championship, "I left a lot of shots out there. I wish I could have converted one or two. It would have been enough. But I didn't."

Tseng and Hjorth finished regulation at 12-under 276.

Laura Diaz was one birdie away from the lead throughout the back nine, but she three-putted for a bogey on No. 17 and her 70 left her in fifth.

Tseng had a chance to win in regulation, but missed a 10-foot birdie putt on No. 18.

Jee Young Lee, who started the day with one-shot lead over Hjorth, shot a final-round 78.