ROGERS, Ark. (AP) — Yuna Nishimura played a flawless back nine after allowing the chasing pack to get close early and won the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship by five shots on Sunday for her first LPGA victory.
A six-time winner on the Japan LPGA, the 26-year-old Nishimura closed with a 5-under 66 for a three-day total of 21-under 192 at Pinnacle Country Club.
“I still can’t believe it. I still shake my hand. But, yeah, I’m proud of myself and, yeah, I’m super
happy,” Nishimura said.
Leading by five shots entering the day after back-to-back 63s, Nishimura shot even-par 36 on the front nine while another Japanese player, Aki Iwai, made a charge with six birdies in seven holes to start the back nine.
Iwai shot a bogey-free 62 and tied for second with Chanettee Wannasaen (65) and In Gee Chun (67).
“This week greens are so soft,” Iwai said. “Especially today. So I was like -- I need more aggressive. Like, yeah, I need hit three, four yards past the pin usually.”
Nishimura opened a three-shot lead over Iwai with an eagle on the par-5 14th hole after she reached the green with a fairway wood over water. She added two more birdies to shoot 5-under 30 on the back nine.
“I told myself to go aggressive until the very end and I went for it,” she said.
Lauren Coughlin, who set an LPGA record by opening with nine straight birdies to shoot a career-best 61 on Saturday, closed with a 66 and finished in a tie for 12th, eight shots back.
Lottie Woad, the seventh-ranked player in the world who helped Europe to victory over the U.S. in the Solheim Cup two weeks ago in the Netherlands, withdrew with an illness. The English player was six shots off the lead through two rounds.
Two players made holes-in-one Sunday. Yealimi Noh aced the par-3 15th hole with a 9-iron from 136 yards, the first of her career. Mao Saigo holed a 7-iron from 159 yards on the par-3 third, also her first ace.
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