SHANGHAI — American Solheim Cup player Angel Yin defeated top-ranked Lilia Vu on the first playoff hole to win the LPGA Shanghai tournament on Sunday for her first tour win.
Both Yin and Vu finished at 14-under 274 on the Qizhong Garden Golf Club course forcing a playoff, where Yin made a birdie at the par-4 18th after Vu had narrowly missed her 20-foot birdie putt.
It was 25-year-old Yin’s first victory in her 159th start and she shared a warm embrace with compatriot Vu on her breakthrough win.
“It’s not easy to win. (I’m) just very grateful,” Yin said. “Honestly, 18 that bunker where I was in, anything could have happened, but I was very fortunate to have a very good lie and was able to hit a good shot and everything played out the way it played out.
“It’s been a special week.”
Yin was tied with Maja Stark for the overnight lead at 12 under and on Sunday shot a 70, with three birdies and a lone bogey on the 6th.
Vu shot a 4-under 68, with six birdies and two bogeys, and was the clubhouse leader at 14-under, until Yin birdied the par-5 17th and then made par on the final hole to force a playoff.
“I made a lot of mistakes today, to be honest, and I felt like this was definitely not my A-game, but I knew that the more I play the golf course the…
