Taiwan’s Teresa Lu yesterday fired one-under-par round of 71 for a final-round total of 204 to score a five-shot victory at the Nichirei Cup World Ladies Golf Tournament in Chiba, Japan.
It was her second title of the year on the LPGA of Japan Tour, following a win at the Studio Alice Women’s Open in April, and the 14th of her career on the LPGA of Japan Tour.
Lu has been in good form in recent months, finishing in the top 10 in four of her six most recent competitions.
Photo: Liberty Times
Lu’s final round 71 gave her a three-day score of 204, or 12 under-par, to finish five shots clear of Japanese trio Saki Takeo, Rumi Yoshiba and Miyu Shinkai, as they tied at 209 for second place.
The tournament has an ￥80 million (US$721,326) purse.
Lu entered yesterday’s final round with a comfortable four-shot lead over Shinkai, but that lead was down to one after seven holes.
“I did not play very well today and I started to feel the pressure when I saw how well she was playing,” Lu said of Shinkai, who was in her final-round grouping. “I was a bit shocked to make bogey on the par-5 seventh hole.”
However, Lu matched Shinkai’s birdie on the ninth hole, and an approach shot to within 90cm of the par-5 10th hole led to another birdie that helped her retake the lead.
After Shinkai bogeyed on the 12th and 13th holes, and Lu hit another birdie on the 14th, Lu was able to cruise to victory.
Lu, 29, who has been playing regularly in Japan since 2010, earned ￥14.4 million with the victory and moved up to second on this year’s LPGA of Japan Tour money list with winnings of ￥55.5 million.
Taiwan’s Phoebe Yao had her best performance of the season as she carded a five-under-par 211 to finish in sixth place.
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