There was excitement in every step. Yani Tseng, five-time major champion and a reference for an entire generation, put the perfect finishing touch to a dream week. At the Sunrise Golf & Country Club —a course she has known since she was 14 years old—, the local idol strung together a streak of five consecutive birdies and finished with another on the 18th to seal the victory at the Wistron Ladies Open with a brilliant –14 total.
The week started off grey, battling against the elements: stoppages, fog, crosswinds… and a tournament reduced to 36 holes. Everything seemed wrong. However, in the end, it was all worth it. It’s hard to imagine a better winner for this event. Tseng relied on her experience (putting left-handed, a change she implemented in 2024) and confidence —with the support of her crowd— to pull away definitively in the final round.
Behind her, New Zealander Amelia Garvey achieved her best result in the LET, four strokes behind, with a brilliant first round (four birdies and an eagle). Irishwoman Lauren Walsh completed the podium at –10. In the top-5, tied, were Teresa Lu, Ching Huang, Cara Gainer, and Nook Sukapan.
Beyond the triumph, the victory brings Tseng back to the forefront and makes her eligible for LET membership. A significant achievement for someone who still holds the record as the youngest in history to reach five majors (at 22 years old) and who spent more than 100 weeks as world number one. Undoubtedly, the last great dominator of women’s world golf, even surpassing Inbee Park. She won a lot in a very short time. Yani Tseng has closed the circle. The former world number one lifts a trophy eleven years later and she has done it at home. We will see what she decides now for her future. If she opts to compete in the LET, it will be a luxury signing.
Nuria Iturrioz, the best Spanish player
The best Spanish player was Nuria Iturrioz, solid and on the rise with –5 (72-67) to finish T16 after a magnificent Sunday on the greens. Ana Peláez Triviño and Marta Martín finished at –1 (T56) with identical final rounds of 71 in the second round, while Luna Sobrón ended at Par (T67) after a brilliant opening 69 and a 75 in the final round. María Hernández withdrew (WD) after a 78 on the first day. There have been no major changes in the order of merit, which is still led by Singaporean Shannon Tan.
What’s next
The LET makes a stop before the Aramco China Championship (Mission Hills, 6–8 November), the penultimate stop before the final push. For our players, a good haul of sensations: Iturrioz confirms an upward trend; Peláez and Martín add up; Sobrón will need to reconnect her best tee to green; and Hernández is already thinking about recovering and looking towards Shenzhen.
