Ruoning Yin claims Women’s PGA by sinking a birdie putt on final hole

Japan’s Yuka Saso finished alone in second, one shot back following a 66 that featured five birdies on the back nine of the redesigned lower course. Five players ended two shots back, including Yin’s countrywoman Xiyu Lin.

It was the second triumph this season for Yin. She also captured the L.A. Open in early April for her first victory on the LPGA Tour after England’s Georgia Hall missed a seven-footer for a birdie at No. 18 that would have forced a playoff.

“It still feels surreal right now,” said Yin, who joined retired Shanshan Feng (2012 LPGA Championship) as China’s only major champions. “I mean, before today I didn’t even think about it. After nine holes walking by the clubhouse, I started thinking, ‘Oh, maybe I have a chance to win this championship.’ ”

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In her second career start at the Women’s PGA, Yin stepped to the par-5 18th leading by a shot before Saso played out of a greenside bunker 50 yards from the flagstick. Her ball came to rest inside of a foot for a tap-in birdie that pushed the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open champion to 7 under and gave her the clubhouse lead.

Yin had driven into the right rough on 18 moments earlier but found the fairway with her second shot, leaving her 103 yards from the pin. Her approach spun back and settled within six feet, drawing cheers from the gallery surrounding the green. A fist-pump ensued when her putt disappeared into the cup.

“I felt that I was going to make it,” said Yin, who turned professional in 2020 and played on the LPGA China Tour, winning her first three events.

Following Yin’s decisive putt, the only player who could catch her was Northern Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow, who trailed by two strokes heading to No. 18. Meadow, however, hit her second shot thin, and the ball skipped along the water before it came to rest in the rough.

She settled for a par to join the group at 6 under for the tournament, including three-time major champion Anna Nordqvist of Sweden and Spain’s Carlota Ciganda, whose 64 was the lowest score in the final round.

Yin and Ciganda were the only players among the top three who did not card a bogey Sunday. Yin hit 37 straight greens in regulation and in the final round did not have a three-putt.

“I was trying not to look at the big leader board, and I couldn’t quite see what the numbers were,” said Yin’s caddie, Jonathan Lehman, who…