Women’s PGA Championship: Ruoning Yin claims maiden major as Stephanie Meadow, Leona Maguire miss out
Highlights from the fourth round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship where Ruoning Yin claimed her maiden major.
Highlights from the fourth round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship where Ruoning Yin claimed her maiden major.
Ruoning Yin secured her second LPGA Tour victory of the season and a maiden major title with a dramatic one-shot victory at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
The 20-year-old carded a bogey-free 67 on a weather-delayed final day at Baltusrol Golf Club, where a birdie at the par-five 18th lifted her to eight under ahead of former US Women’s Open champion Yuka Saso.
Solheim Cup stars Carlota Ciganda and Anna Nordqvist shared third spot on six unders with Megan Khang, Xiyu Lin and Northern Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow, while overnight leader Leona Maguire slipped out contention after a disappointing Sunday.
Leona Maguire was chasing a second victory in as many weeks on the LPGA Tour
Maguire took a one-shot lead into the final day but lost ground with three bogeys in a six-hole stretch from the sixth, with a three-over 74 leaving her four strokes back in a share of 11th.
How Yin secured major success
Maguire immediately lost her overnight advantage when playing partner Jenny Shin birdied the opening hole, with the Irishwoman falling into a share of second when she failed to get up and down from the sand to save by at the sixth.
Ciganda made a Sunday charge with an eagle and five birdies over the first 13 holes, while Lin followed four birdies in the first seven holes by picking up a shot at the ninth to reach the turn in 30 and tied for the lead.
Carlota Ciganda matched the lowest round of the day with a final round of 64
Maguire and Shin both bogeyed the eighth after a near two-hour weather delay because of the threat of lightning, while Lin continued her runs of pars around the turn to stay ahead as the chasing pack continues to grow.
Yin jumped into a share of the lead for the first time when she posted back-to-back birdies from the 13th, while Saso made it a three-way tie at the top after three birdies in a four-hole stretch from the 12th.
Ruoning Yin claimed a maiden major title with a one-shot victory at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
Maguire finally carded a first birdie of the day at the 13th but immediately bogeyed the next to fall three behind, with Saso also dropping a shot at the 14th to lost her share of the lead.
Lin wasted a birdie opportunity at the 17th and then found water off the final tee on her way to a closing bogey, dropping her back one behind, while Saso got up and down from a greenside bunker at the last to set the clubhouse target at seven under.
Live US Women’s Open Golf
July 6, 2023, 9:00pm
live on 
Yin found the rough with her tee shot at the par-five last and had to lay up, before she struck an impressive iron to eight feet and holed a curling birdie putt to secure a maiden major win.
“For the last couple days, my ball-striking was perfect,” Yin said. “I only missed, I think, six greens in four days. I think my ball striking was pretty good. Before today’s round, I just told my physio that my goal for today, just no three-putt. I don’t care if I’m winning or not, just no three-putt.”
The women’s major season continues next month with the US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Watch live from July 6-9 on Sky Sports Golf!
Get the best prices and book a round at one of 1,700 courses across the UK & Ireland
