The fourth and final round of the Buick LPGA Shanghai tournament came to a conclusion on Sunday with Cavan’s Leona Maguire posting her third even-par round of the week to finish T54 at three-under-par.
Consistency was key for Maguire as she minimised errors around Qizhong Garden Golf Club, but the 30-year-old may feel as if there was more for the taking. An uneventful front nine saw just one bogey as Maguire took the turn at one-over.
Another bogey came at the par-4 15th but a strong finish from the two-time LPGA winner saw birdies on 16 and 18 to post a steady 72. Maguire’s T54 finish saw her take home $7,306.
At the top of the leaderboard, Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul came from four shots down with five holes to play to force a playoff with Minami Katsu, before producing another world class shot on the fifth playoff hole to claim the LPGA Shanghai title.
This win for Thitikul means that the 22-year-old is the first two-time LPGA champion this season as the run of different champions at every event finally came to an end.
Thitikul’s bogey free nine-under round was the round of the day, which took her to 24-under, alongside Minami Katsu who had held a comfortable four shot lead overnight. The world no.1 quickly reduced the deficit with birdies on the 14th, 15th and 16th, before an incredible eagle with the ball bouncing along the mottled 17th green of Qizhong Garden Golf Club in Shanghai to draw level.
Katsu had a chance to take the win on the 18th as the 27-year-old lined up a birdie putt only to see the ball slide past the hole which forced the playoff.
This result for Thitikul will undoubtedly null the disappointment of her uncharacteristic four putt meltdown at the Kroger Queen City Championship last month when she handed the win that day to England’s Charley Hull.
“What happened on the last event (was) definitely still in my mind, but like to be able to prove myself again this tournament, which is … like a dream come true and you know, I’m not carrying a thing on my shoulder,” she said.
Australia’s Minjee Lee finished solo third on 19-under after posting a final round of four-under.
Jenny Bae of the United States had a round of 69 and finished in a tie for fourth with Miyu Yamashita of Japan and Somi Lee of South Korea at 17-under.
Defending champion Ruoning Yin of China carded a final round of 68 to finish in a tie for 26th.
The LPGA now heads to South Korea for the BMW Ladies Championship on the 16th of October.
Leaderboard.
