Amy Yang, who has ties to Australia, will bank the equal-largest winner’s cheque in women’s golf after claiming the LPGA Tour’s CME Group Tour Championship. The US$2 million prize matches the winner’s stake at the Women’s US Open. Yang closed with a superb 6-under 66 to reach a staggering 27-under at Tiburon Golf Club, Florida to eclipse the tournament record set by Jin Young Ko at 23-under in 2021. America’s Alison Lee and Japan’s Nasa Hataoka finished three shots back at 24-under in a share of second place. Australia’s Minjee lee finished in a tie for eighth place.
Yang carded just two bogeys all week during rounds of 68, 63, 64 and 66. The 34-year-old was born in South Korea and spent three years living in Australia before moving residence to the United States. During her time on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Yang won the ANZ Ladies Masters on the European Tour as an amateur. She was just 16 years of age making her at that time the youngest ever winner on the LET.
Yang started the day in share of the 54-hole lead with Hataoka. After a bogey at the 3rd hole, Yang reeled off five birdies and one eagle en route to her stunning victory over the elite field that included 60 qualified players. It was her fifth LPGA Tour title and first on US soil. Her four other victories were collected in Thailand (3) and South Korea (1).
Lee and Hataoka finished at 24-under. Lee signed for a brilliant bogey-free 6-under 66 final round. Hataoka, who was searching for her seventh LPGA Tour title produced a 3-under 69 on Sunday. America’s Lilia Vu fired the best round on Sunday with her 7-under 65 moving her up into solo fourth place at 21-under.
Minjee Lee was the best of the five Australians in the field. Lee carded a final round 2-under 70 to reach 18-under and take a share of eighth place with former world No. 1 Nelly Korda. The other four Aussie results include Hannah Green T23, Grace Kim T47, Sarah Kemp T50 and Stephanie Kyriacou T57.
America’s Nelly Korda made her first hole-in-one on the LPGA Tour at the par-3 eighth on Saturday.
Final Scores
CME Group Tour Championship
1. Amy Yang -27
T2. Alison Lee -24
T2. Nasa Hataoka -24
4. Lilia Vu -21
5. Atthaya Thitikul -20
T6. Ruoning Yin -19
T6. Xiya Lin -19
T8. Nelly Korda -18
T8. Minjee Lee -18
Other Australians
T23. Hannah Green -12
T47. Grace Kim -5
T50. Sarah Kemp -4
T57. Stephanie Kyriacou +2
Photo credit: Michael Reaves/ Getty Images
