XIAMEN, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Ami Hirai captured her first China LPGA Tour title on Saturday when the Japanese player made a crucial birdie on the penultimate hole and another at the last to win the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Orient Masters by one stroke in Fujian province.
The Tokyo native avoided a potential three-way playoff when she sank a 15-foot putt on the 18th hole of the Orient (Xiamen) Golf and Country Club for a 69 and a 54-hole score of 11-under 205. She becomes the first Japanese golfer to win on the CLPGA Tour.
South Korean Hwang Ye-nah (66) was an equal runner-up with Malaysian Aretha Pan (68). Yin Xiaowen was the top amateur as the Chinese teenager closed with a tournament-low round of 65 to finish equal fourth with overnight co-leader Aunchisa Utama (71) of Thailand at two shots back.
Hirai, who is playing in her first year on the CLPGA Tour, could only muster par over the first six holes while playing in the final group with Aunchisa and Park Jin-hee (71). After dropping a stroke at the 370-yard seventh with a bogey five she rebounded for a birdie two at the next to make the turn at even-par for the day.
After five straight pars to start the back nine, the 23-year-old made three birdies over the last four holes to seal the victory.
"I was three shots behind at one time but I found out that I could play free golf and be more aggressive. I am glad that I didn't give up and waited for my chance at the end of the day," said Hirai who earned RMB120,000 (16,949 US dollars) for the win.
"I knew the competition was very tense. Many players were tied for the lead here and there. I watched the leaderboard off the 18th tee and knew that I needed one more birdie. I did it. After this week, I will take part in the JLPGA Pro-test third stage. I would say it's the right time for me to win this. It's good for my confidence."
Playing two groups ahead of the leaders, Hwang gave herself a chance of being in a possible playoff when she rebounded from a triple-bogey seven at the 15th hole to go eagle-birdie over the last two holes to finish on 10-under. Her adventurous round included an eagle, eight birdies, a bogey, and a triple.
"I made a terrible mistake off the 15th tee and hit into the right woods. I didn't bother to find the ball and hit another ball," she said. "After the triple bogey, I didn't care about my score. I didn't expect to have a chip-in eagle and a birdie over the last two holes."
Pan, who recorded her first hole-in-one on Friday, started the day one shot off the lead but struggled to build momentum. Her round included six birdies and three bogeys.
"I made some long putts for birdies and a chip-in birdie. It's a great round. But you know, Ami had a great birdie putt at the last hole and deserved this. It is a tougher hole with a fast green and a tricky line," said the 25-year-old from Kota Kinabalu. "It's my first time to be in the mix in China. I had a great week with a bonus of a hole-in-one."
Yin, a 14-year-old from Tianjin, bounced back from an even-par 72 Friday to finish strongly in a round that featured five birdies, including one at the last, and an eagle three on the penultimate hole.
"I had a bad round yesterday but today is really great. I made a chip-in eagle and holed a nearly 60-foot birdie at the last. You couldn't ask for more," said the teenager. "Next Week, I will play the Buick LPGA. Hopefully, I can have another great result."
