China’s Ruoning Yin won her first major title in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship thanks to a flawless final round at Baltusrol after finally seeing off a chasing pack which included Stephanie Meadow as Leona Maguire's bid for a first major faded following a 74 in her final round.
Yin carded four birdies in a closing 67, the last coming from 10 feet on the 72nd hole to edge the 20-year-old a shot ahead of Japan’s Yuka Saso, who had set the clubhouse target on seven under par following a superb 66.
“When I was on the 18th tee and I saw the leaderboard I knew I had a one-shot lead,” Yin said.
“But after the tee shot I saw Yuka make an incredible birdie and I know I have to make birdie at this hole to win the championship. I’m glad I did it.
“For the last couple of days, my ball-striking was perfect. I only missed, I think, six greens in four days. My ball-striking was pretty good.
“Before today’s round I just told my physio that my goal for today was just no three-putts. I don’t care if I’m winning or not, just no three-putt. I did it, too.”
Jordanstown's Stephanie Meadow birdied the 17th to keep her hopes alive and needed to eagle the par-five 18th to force a play-off, but mishit her second shot and was fortunate to see it skip through a water hazard.
Congratulations to our 2023 @KPMGWomensPGA Champion, Ruoning Yin! pic.twitter.com/ZYVHREzKlE
— PGA of America (@PGA) June 25, 2023
Meadow recovered her composure to hit a good approach but was unable to hole the birdie putt and had to settle for a closing 70 and share of third place with Carlota Ciganda, Anna Nordqvist, Megan Khang and Xiyu Lin.
Playing partner Leona Maguire, who took a one-shot lead into the final round, struggled to a disappointing 74 to fall back into a tie for 11th on four under.
Meadow’s tie for third equalled her best finish in a major, the 31-year-old having achieved the same position in the US Open on her professional debut in 2014.
“It’s been a long time since 2014,” she said. “To get that again, it’s been a long journey and a lot of ups and downs personally and professionally. I’m proud of myself. It’s been a great week.
“Obviously that was not my career best shot there on the 18th. I got lucky, and I knew it, and I still tried to make birdie.
“Sometimes the golf gods are in your favour and sometimes they’re not, so they were looking out for me right there, but I’ll just wipe that from the memory for now.
“It was one of those shots where I had to hit it absolutely perfect to get to the front and I think I tried to swing a little too hard and it was a little bit of a downhill lie. It happens. Best players in the world can do it.”
Former amateur star Rose Zhang, who won the Mizuho Americas Open on her professional debut earlier this month, was a shot off the lead after six birdies in her first 14 holes, but bogeyed the 16th and finished in a tie for eighth on five under.
