P&G NW Arkansas Championship - Final Round

Yani Tseng birdied the final hole to win the P&G NW Arkansas Championship Presented by Walmart.  It is her third victory of 2010 and the fifth of her career.  Michelle Wie finished at -12, one shot back in second place.  Mike Miyazato finished three shots back in third place, Inbee Park was five behind in fourth place while four others finished tied for fifth place, six strokes behind the winner.

Wie began the day ahead by three but could not keep her distance as Tseng and Juli Inkster (her partners in the final group) rang up a couple of early birdies to draw within one.  Juli began to falter with bogeys at 7 and 8, and stumbled on to a T9 finish.  Yani and Michelle bogeyed 6 so when Wie rebounded with a birdie at 7, she opened up a two-shot lead which she carried to the back nine.

Both players birdied the par-3 11^th but Tseng also birdied 12 to reach -10 and draw within one.  After both parred 13, Yani birdied 14 to tie and then birdied 15 to take her first lead of the week.  Wie had made several fine par saves in recent holes but couldn't do it again at 16, missing from about six feet to fall two behind with two to go.  Michelle kicked it back into gear at the tough par-3 17^th, playing her tee shot to five feet and dropping the putt to get back within one.  At the par-5 18^th, both players were at a reachable distance for their seconds.  Yani just missed the green right but was only around 15 feet away.  Michelle - as she had done several times on the back nine - pulled her shot left and somewhat short.  She chipped nicely to six feet and made the putt to tie for the lead but Tseng two-putted for birdie, the winning putt coming from less than three feet.

As I wrote this morning, Wie was in good position for the back-to-back victory but one of the stellar players - the one who has a knack of coming from behind on Sunday - right behind her was able to haul her down.  It's tough to win out there, folks - even if you come in with a three-shot lead and shoot 69, somebody can STILL beat you.  It all adds up to a great win for Yani Tseng!