ZHANGJIAGANG, Southeast China, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Taipei amateur Hou Yu-chiang emerged victorious at the Zhangjiagang Shuangshan Challenge on Friday as the teenager matched the tournament scoring record with an eight-under 64 to win by two strokes in Jiangsu province.
The 18-year-old Hou overcame a five stroke deficit going into the third round to finish on a nine-under 207 at the RMB500,000 China LPGA Tour event played at Shuangshan Golf Club. Another Chinese Taipei player Peng Chieh (68) and Zhang Weiwei (69) from Hubei province were equal second. They each receive RMB62,875 in sharing the first- and second-place prize money.
China's Zhang Yunjie was fourth after a 68 at three strokes back. Thai Wanchana Poruangrong (70) was fifth a shot further back.
Playing four groups ahead of the leaders, Hou got her game going almost immediately as she carded a birdie two at the 164-yard second hole, one of four she would post over the front nine. After dropping her only shot at the 163-yard 12th she then put together a superb run from the next hole with five straight birdies to ensure the win.
"Going into the final round I didn't expect this and I didn't put any pressure on myself. I am really happy now. I didn't look at the leaderboard on the back nine until the final hole. It's a blessing in disguise. By not knowing my position I could play my own game," said Hou who beat her career best score by three strokes.
Hou, who has committed to play for the University of Arizona, said her five consecutive birdies all came from within three feet of the pin. The victory was her second against a pro field after winning a TLPGA event last year.
"I have played a whole year of pro events and would have won a lot of money if I were a pro. But on this stage all the pro events that I have played should be a lesson to me for the future. My plan and execution was really good today and I hit it very close to the pin."
Zhang, who was looking for her second title of the season after winning in Beijing last month, managed to card five birdies over the day but a double-bogey six at the 372-yard 10th hole proved her undoing.
"I didn't know what had happened until the 18th tee. I was stunned when someone in the crowd told me that a player had shot nine-under," said Zhang who padded her lead atop the CLPGA Tour Order of Merit with her sixth top-10 finish of the season.
"The last hole is a par five. I was two shots behind, but I wasn't able to hit my second shot into the green and try to make an eagle. I don't think I made any mistakes except the 10th hole where I hit it to two yards away from the pin. But weird things happen and the ball went into the water to my surprise."
Peng, who has played in at least one CLPGA Tour event each year since its 2009 launch, put together a solid finish that included two birdies on both the front and back nine. It was the second equal runner-up finish for the Mississippi State graduate, the first coming at the 2017 CLPGA Zhuhai Heritage.
"You know, the way I played off the tee was not as I wanted," lamented the 25-year-old Peng. "I hit errant tee shots for four consecutive holes from the eighth hole. I hung in there and saved four pars, then made two more birdies. A 68, I feel good."
Liu Wenbo, the leader through the first two rounds, shot two-over 74 for the second straight day to finish equal sixth at five stroke back.
