BOSTON — Chinese rookie Miranda Wang captured her first LPGA title, edging Thailand’s top-ranked Jeeno Thitikul by one stroke to win the FM Championship in Boston.
Wang, a 26-year-old who helped Duke University win the prestigious US collegiate team crown in 2019, birdied the par-four 17th and made a clutch par at the par-five 18th for a tension-packed triumph.
“It’s a dream come true,” Wang said. “I hope this is the first of many and I’ll keep working hard.”
Leading by three shots when the day began and four ahead of Jeeno, Wang held off the world number one’s charge late with clutch putting, something that had given her confidence since the opening round.
“On the back nine of the first round I started hitting really good shots,” Wang said according to AFP. “The shots and putts were going so well for me I feel like this could be my week and I just worked really hard and didn’t give up on that.
“I always think putter is my best club in the bag. I also like the other clubs but I love my putting so I’m happy to see it work out really good.”
Wang piled up seven birdies on the way to a 18-under par total of 198 – three clear of 36-hole leader Kim Sei-young of South Korea and American Rose Zhang.
It was another stroke back to world No 1 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand and American Andrea Lee.
Wang had managed to polish off her second-round 67, shortly before play was suspended by darkness. Three shots behind Kim to start the third round, Wang marched up the leaderboard with a solid display on the greens.
She followed a birdie at the second with three straight birdies at six, seven and eight and rapped in another birdie putt at the par-five 12th to push her lead to three strokes.
She added birdies at 14 and 18, finishing with just 24 putts to maintain her advantage.
“I did a good job today,” Wang said according to AFP. “I really want to give myself some credit. This is where all the players want to be, so it’s definitely special going into the final round being the sole leader.”
Kim and Zhang both had marathon days after completing just four holes. Kim returned to complete a seven-under 65 and grab the lead, but she couldn’t maintain the pace and posted a one-under 71 in the third round.
She faltered early with bogeys at the second and third holes and was two-over through nine before rolling in three birdies and signing for a one-under 71 that kept her in the hunt for a 13th LPGA title and her first in nearly five years.
Her last title came at the Pelican Championship in November 2020, a month after she won her lone major title at the Women’s PGA Championship.
Zhang completed a second-round 64 and then shook off an early bogey in the third round with six birdies in a five-under 67.
“It’s been a while since I played 32 holes,” said Zhang, another US collegiate standout who has been hindered by injury this season. “I needed to grind it out a little bit. I needed to stay focused.”
Kim said the same. Irked by her early bogeys, she was delighted to come up with a closing birdie as darkness closed in on the final group.
“When I standing on the last hole it was already dark,” she said. “I have a chance to reach with the second shot, but the temperature dropped a little so it’s 10 yards short. I just laid up and then make birdie – good result.”
Jeeno had eight birdies in her seven-under 65 wile Lee had six birdies in a six-under 66 to join her on 14-under 202.
Another three players shared sixth on 203. That included Park Kum-kang, a 24-year-old South Korean ranked 340th in the world who picked up six strokes in her first seven holes on the way to an impressive eight-under 64.
