Ruoning Yin claims Women's PGA Championship for first major title

June 26 (UPI) -- Ruoning Yin made four birdies en route to a final-round 4-under 67, edging Yuka Saso by one stroke to claim her first major title at the 2023 Women's PGA Championship in Springfield, N.J.

Yin, who was 8-under through four rounds, claimed a $1.5 million first-place prize Sunday at the Lower Course at Baltusrol Golf Club. Saso was 5-under over her final 18 holes and finished at 7-under for the tournament.

"It still feels unreal," Yin, 20, told reporters. "I didn't even think about it. After nine holes, I started thinking 'maybe I have a chance to win this championship.'"

Five golfers tied for third. Rookie Rose Zhang tied for eighth, her first Top 10 finish at a major since turning professional last month. World No. 1 Jin Young Ko tied for 20th.

Leona Maguire, the second- and third-round leader, held a one-stroke edge on Jenny Shin to start the final round. Stephanie Meadow entered Sunday in third place. First-round leader Lee-Anne Pace and Yin started the day three strokes back of Maguire.

Maguire went on to card a 3-over 74 over her final 18 holes for an 11th place finish. Shin was 1-over on Sunday and tied for eighth. Meadow was 1-under over her final 18 holes and tied for third. Pace carded two double bogeys en route to a 5-over 76 in the final round. She tied for 30th.

Carlota Ciganda, who tied for third, and 11th-place Perrine Delacour fired matching 7-under 64s for the best scores of the final round.

Yin made par on her first six holes Sunday in Springfield. She birdied No. 7 and finished the front nine with two more pars for a 1-under 34 at the turn. She went on to make par on Nos. 10, 11 and 12. Yin made birdie again on Nos. 13 and 14 to move to 3-under on the day. She made par on her next three holes.

Yin then sank a birdie putt on No. 18 to pass Saso on the leaderboard and win the tournament.

"I didn't think too much," Yin said. "My goal was just no three-putts because the last couple days I made five bogeys, and four of them is made by three-putts. Today just no three-putts."

Saso made six birdies over her final 12 holes. She carded a bogey on No. 16, but birdied No. 18 en route to her $875,130 second-place prize.

The U.S. Women's Open, the third major of the LPGA season, will be held from July 6 through 9 at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif.