Yani Tseng continued her quest to smash every record in the women’s game as she claimed her fifth major championship at only 22, her fourth out of the last five and a second successive Ricoh Women’s British Open at Carnoustie.
A final round 69 in the trickiest conditions of the week yesterday completed a remarkable 16-under-aggregate of 272 and a four-stroke margin over the USA’s Brittany Lang, with former champion Sophie Gustafson alone in third on 11-under.
The champion said, “It’s wonderful to be the youngest golfer to win five majors, especially on this course in the home of the game where so many historic things have been done it’s a real honour to be part of that.
“I felt a little nervous on the putting green this morning, but my caddie and my coach reminded me that everyone else would be nervous to see my name up there on the board, which helped me.”
Even if Carnoustie was not set up in its usual toughest examination, the course clearly identified the best player in the field as the world number one offered little in the way of a opening once she had her nose in front, and even the historic dramas of a three-shot lead up the 18th couldn’t distract her as she birdied in a final flourish.
Catriona Matthew may have slipped with a double-bogey six at the last, but the overriding impression was that the Scot, champion two years ago at Royal Lytham and St Annes, had offered the only real challenge to Tseng during the final round after third-round leader Caroline Masson had predictably faltered.
Matthew had an eight-foot birdie putt at the 14th that would had her a shot behind Tseng who was faltering slightly with successive bogeys just behind, but the Scot missed and then failed to birdie the 17th as Tseng pulled away to victory, although she was conscious that Carnoustie had terrors to come.
“I was thinking of Jean Van de Velde up the last hole, I had to with a three-shot lead leading the British Open,” she joked.
“Fortunately I hit a good drive and my nine-iron was a little juiced up but it was a good way to finish.”StrainThe big question was whether rookie pro Masson, leading by two going into the final round, could stand the strain.
That was quickly answered as her advantage had vanished by the third and eventually it took birdies at the 17th and 18th to save her from a 80.
Tseng was alone in the lead with a birdie at the sixth and after another at the 11th it seemed the trophy was in the bag, but she had an uncharacteristic wobble at the 12th with a poor tee shot and the first of a number of clumsy chips.
She bogeyed that hole and then the short 13th, while Matthew had moved into second place and within two shots with birdies at six and nine, but the Scot was spending more time extricating herself from trouble than forcing a charge, and when a birdie chance did come at 14 it slipped by the hole.
“The putt at the 14th was the key, but there were other chances out there where I had the chance to put a little pressure on Yani,” said Matthew afterwards.
“The crowd were great and got right behind me, but all I could really get for them to cheer were par saves.”
Tseng closed the door for good at the 17th with a 15-foot birdie putt.
The American Lang put together an impressive charge from behind with an inward half of 32 to post a 67, but was never within three shots of Tseng.
Gustafson birdied the final two for third place and Amy Yang’s 67 pushed her up into fourth as Matthew caught the out of bounds fence at the last to fall away and finish tied for fifth with Masson.
Scots Janice Moodie and Kylie Walker both shot final round 74s to finish three-over and four-over respectively.