Tseng birdied four of five holes
early on the back nine, then held on for a one-stroke victory over Wie with a
birdie on No. 18. Tseng finished at 13-under 200.
Wie (69) gave up the lead on the
back nine — the same half of the course she played in 7-under 28 during a
scintillating stretch Saturday.
“She's just so good,” Tseng said of
Wie. “I just really play, one shot at a time, but if I don't make lots of
birdies today, I couldn't win.” Japan's Mika Miyazato (64) was third at 10
under at Pinnacle Country Club.
Tseng has five career LPGA Tour
victories, including three majors. She won the Kraft Nabisco Championship and
Women's British Open this year.
Juli Inkster, who at 50 was trying
to become the oldest player to win on the tour, entered the day tied for
second, but shot 72 and finished seven shots back.
Inkster was grouped with Tseng and
Wie on the final day, with the 20-year-old Wie trying for her second straight
win. She won the Canadian Women's Open late last month.
Wie led by three strokes after two
rounds but fell into a tie with Inkster at 9 under when she three-putted No. 6
for a bogey. Wie responded with a birdie on No. 7 and led Tseng by two strokes
after both players birdied the 11th.
“Yani played great,” Wie said.
“Usually, if you're 12 under, it's good enough. I played good today. I had
faith in myself, a couple iron shots went a little bit left today.” Tseng kept
the pressure on. Although Wie scrambled to make pars on Nos. 13, 14 and 15,
Tseng birdied 12, 14 and 15 to take the lead.
Wie then bogeyed No. 16 to fall two
strokes back, but hit an outstanding tee shot on the par-3 17th and made a
birdie, one of only six on that hole all day.
That set up No. 18, a 515-yard par 5
that Wie had eagled the previous day. Tseng missed the fairway but hit a
tremendous second shot from about 200 yards to the fringe, around 20 feet from
the hole. Wie then missed the green with her second shot, all but ending her
chances. Both players finished with birdies — Tseng's on a putt from inside 2
feet.
Tseng has played well in majors, but
she struggled in some of the less prestigious tournaments. Since winning the
Women's British Open, she tied for 45th at the Safeway Classic and missed the
cut at the Canadian Women's Open.
“I missed the cut last tournament
and then I win this tournament,” Tseng said. “It means so much difference for
me - seems like I was really prepared and ready for this tournament.” She's now
firmly involved in the discussion of who might take over the mantle as women's
golf's next dominant player after the recent retirements of Annika Sorenstam
and Lorena Ochoa.
“When I was young, I was watching
them play, so I just feel like I really need to win more tournaments, to be
really working hard to be chasing them,” Tseng said.
“Even though they're retired, I
think they're still No. 1 in the world.” The Arkansas event was only 54 holes
but had a loaded field with almost every top player in the world. Inbee Park
(65) finished fourth, five strokes behind the winner. Jiyai Shin (66) and Seon
Hwa Lee (69), the last two champions at this event, were in a group of players
another shot back.
Ai Miyazato (67) tied for ninth, and
Cristie Kerr (70) tied for 32nd.
