Aditi Ashok ends T-35, Amy Yang wins women's PGA Championship

SAMMAMISH (USA): Despite getting off to a dismal start — five bogeys in seven holes — on the final day, Aditi Ashok limited the damage with a fine rearguard action on the back nine to finish tied 35th at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship here on Sunday.
The 26-year-old Indian shot a closing two-over 74 on a blustery day that saw just 10 golfers manage sub-par scores. Amy Yang was one of them. The South Korean shot a gritty oneunder 71 under testing conditions to capture her first Major crown.
Yang, 34, finished with a total of seven-under 281 for a three-shot win over the trio of Lilia Vu (71), Korea’s Jin Young Ko (71) and Miyu Yamashita (73) of Japan.
“I’m lost for words right now,” said Yang. “It’s all the hard work our team did together, and I’m grateful for all that. All four rounds, it was tough out there, but I just trusted what I prepared and I did my best all week. I always wanted to win a Major, and I came close several times. I started doubting myself if I was ever going to win one before I retire,” said Yang, who pocketed $1.56 million for her effort this week. “I’m so grateful and very happy to win a Major.”
Aditi too was happy with her recovery on the back nine.
“I played well overall. It was not a great week, but it was not a bad week either,” Asian Games silver medallist told TOI.
With her hitting a trifle patch, Aditi dropped too many shots on the first nine. A 10th tee starter, the Bengalurean bogeyed the opening hole, a result of a wrong club selection. Although she picked up a shot on the next hole, she bogeyed on the 12th, 14th, 15th after being on the wrong side of the undulating greens.
She hit the water on the par-3 17th to drop another shot. After picking up a shot on the 18th, she was unlucky to bogey the first hole, where her 20-footer putt lipped out. But she birdied the par-5 second and the fourth for her 74.