Rookie from Taiwan wins LPGA major

Havre De Grace, Md. -- Teenage rookie Yani Tseng of Taiwan birdied the fourth playoff hole Sunday and won the McDonald's LPGA Championship in Maryland.

Tseng sank a 6-foot putt to beat Maria Hjorth after the two had finished at 12-under-par 276, a stroke ahead of top-ranked Lorena Ochoa and former world No. 1 Annika Sorenstam.

The 19-year-old Tseng shot 68 and Hjorth, Ochoa and Sorenstam each carded 71 in the final round.

"Dreams come true," Tseng said.

Tseng is the first Taiwanese golfer to win an LPGA major championship.
Ochoa was trying for her third straight major title.

"I tried my best," she said.

Sorenstam said she was happy with the way she played "but obviously disappointed."

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.