Taiwanese golfer scores first win on LPGA Futures Tour

Taipei, March 28 (CNA) A 20-year-old Taiwanese golfer captured the season opener of the LPGA Futures Tour in Florida Sunday with a birdie on the final hole and could not wait to tell her idol Yani Tseng about it afterwards. Lin Tzu-chi carded a three-under-par 69 in Sunday's final round to finish the US$110,000 Florida's Natural Charity Classic at 10-under par 206, one shot better than Jackie Barenborg of the United States. A jubilant Lin said she would immediately inform her idol -- the world's top-ranked women's golfer and compatriot Yani Tseng -- of her amazing victory via Facebook. "I'll tell her I did it, " Lin was quoted in a recap of the tournament on the LPGA website. "I'll tell her I won my first professional tournament." The victory did not come easily, as Barenborg held the lead for most of the front nine, during which Lin recorded eight pars and a bogey. At the turn, the Taichung native trailed by two shots and realized she needed to calm down. "That's when I started singing, " Lin said. "I knew I had to relax, and I knew I could make more birdies because there are three par 5s on the back." Lin, who was playing one group ahead of Barenborg, decided to gamble on the par-five 18th, with a green bordered by water in the front and a bunker in the back. "I had to make a birdie on 18 to have a chance to win," said Lin, a third-year pro. "I knew I had to try." She reached the green in two and her eagle putt slid four feet past the hole, setting up her birdie to win. "I was nervous on that last putt," said Lin, who earned US$15,400 for her win. "I took a big breath and watched the ball go straight into the hole. It was done. I felt so good." (By Lin En-pei and Sofia Wu) enditem/ls

Taiwanese golfer scores first win on LPGA Futures Tour Taipei, March 28 (CNA) A 20-year-old Taiwanese golfer captured the season opener of the LPGA Futures Tour in Florida Sunday with a birdie on the final hole and could not wait to tell her idol Yani Tseng about it afterwards.