Tseng Ya-ni
hitting out of the bunker on the first hole on Sunday. The world No. 1
won the Kia Classic for her second straight LPGA Tour title this year.
CARLSBAD (California): While Tiger Woods may
have been celebrating a significant win on Sunday, the most dominating
performance belonged to Taiwan's Tseng Ya-ni.
The world's top female golfer won
the Kia Classic for her second straight LPGA Tour title and third in
five events this year, closing with a two-under 70 for a six-stroke
victory over South Korea's Yoo Sun Young.
This may only be Tseng's fifth season on the
LPGA Tour, but this was her 15th title. Just two months past her 23rd
birthday, she is ahead of Woods' early career winning pace. The American
won his 15th PGA Tour event when he was 23 years and 11 months old.
Tseng had already beaten Woods
last year when she became the youngest golfer to win a fifth Major title
- she was 22 years and six months old when she won the 2011 British
Open. Woods was 24 years and seven months old when he won his fifth, the
2000 PGA Championship.
Tseng was honoured to be compared to Woods,
whom she has never met. She also understands how news works. 'If he's
going to win today, he's probably going to be on the cover,' she said.
She makes her off-season home in Orlando, not
far from Woods'. She has heard that he has practised with LPGA pro
Suzann Pettersen of Norway.
'I said, 'Can you bring me next time?' I wish I could meet him. Maybe in the future,' said Tseng.
On Sunday, she also became the second-youngest player to reach 15 LPGA Tour victories after finishing at 14-under 274.
American Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez, now 55, was 22 when she reached the mark.
'I think it is her work ethic,' said Brittany Lincicome, 11 shots behind Tseng at three under.
'She has put a lot of effort into being No. 1. She has definitely raised the bar for the rest of us.'
Said second-placed Yoo: 'Tseng played great. There is nothing I can say. Yeah, it was fun to watch.'
Feng Shanshan shot a 67 - the best round of the day - to tie for third with South Korea's Shin Ji Yai at seven under.
The Kraft Nabisco Championship, the year's first Major, is this week.
Last year, Tseng had the 54-hole lead, but closed with a 74 and lost to American Stacy Lewis.
It was the last time in seven events that Tseng has lost going into the final round with the lead.
'I was very, very close last year,' she said.
'But when I look back, I was very happy that I didn't win. If you keep
winning, you don't know what you're going to learn.
'I can't wait to start on Thursday.'