China’s Miranda Wang comes from behind to beat world No 1 Jeeno Thitikul for first LPGA win
Duke graduate becomes seventh tour rookie to win this year, extending streak of no multiple winners in the first 23 tournaments of the year
China’s Miranda Wang lost the lead to the No 1 player in women’s golf and then delivered the clutch shots over the final three holes for a two-under 70 and a one-shot victory over Jeeno Thitikul on Sunday in the FM Championship in Norton, Massachusetts, for her first LPGA title.
The 2019 Duke graduate became the seventh LPGA rookie to win this year, extending a remarkable streak of no multiple winners through the tour’s first 23 tournaments of the year.
Thitikul, who took over the top ranking from Nelly Korda three weeks ago, was poised to end that streak and ruin Wang’s hopes when the Thai hit a wedge to two feet at No 9 for her fifth birdie to go out in 31 on the TPC Boston and tie for the lead. She shot 67.
Thitikul bogeyed the 17th hole, and Wang made a six-foot birdie on the 17th to regain the lead and win it with a par.
“It’s a dream come true,” Wang said. “Winning LPGA has been my dream since actually since Day 1 of my golf … I started playing golf because, when I was eight years old, I was watching LPGA tournament on TV. I was, like, ‘Oh, that is what I want to do and I want to be on this tour. I want to win out there’. So I finally did this. Very proud of myself.”