Five-Time Major Winner And Former World No.1 Yani Tseng Claims First Title In 4,306 Days

Former World No.1 Yani Tseng beat Amelia Garvey by four at LET event the Wistron Ladies Open in her homeland of Taiwan.

That was Tseng’s seventh LET title and 28^th of her professional career, but perhaps more significantly, it was her first win in any event since the 2014 Taifong Ladies Open - a 4,306-day stretch.

At that stage of her career, Tseng’s fortunes were beginning to decline following a period that had seen her become one of the most dominant players of her era.

Tseng won five Majors between 2008 and 2011, while she enjoyed a 109-week spell at the top of the world rankings between 2011 and 2013.

Her form had begun to fall away in 2012, but even at the time of her last win, Tseng had only turned 25 three days earlier.

That suggested she had plenty of time in front of her to arrest the slide and get back to the top of her game – perhaps even going on to claim the four remaining points she needed to take her place in the LPGA Hall of Fame.

However, by the end of 2014, she had slipped to 83^rd in the world rankings. Her form continued to decline in the years that followed, and in 2019, a back injury hampered her career further.

She had a long spell largely away from competitive action between 2021 and 2024, before returning for that year’s LPGA Drive On Championship, just two days after her 35th birthday.

Since then, Tseng has been gradually building a head of steam, including two top-10 finishes on the TLPGA.

Earlier this year, she qualified for her first US Women’s Open since 2016, though she missed the cut at the Erin Hills Major.

However, in August, she made the cut in a Major for the first time since 2017 on her way to placing T63 at the AIG Women’s Open, no doubt offering further encouragement.

Tseng, who switched from putting right-handed to left-handed in 2024, claimed her long-awaited victory after finishing 14 under par in a reduced 36-hole format due to poor weather conditions at Sunrise Golf and Country Club.

There were emotional scenes following Tseng's win and afterwards, she said: “I’ve been waiting for this trophy for so long. To win this tournament in my home country and in front of my family and friends is amazing.

“I’ve been really emotional from this win, and just shows you should never give up on your dreams.”

She added: “It's been a very long time since I’ve felt this. I’m so grateful for my fans, friends, and family all cheering me on. It really helped with them on the course and gave me a lot of confidence throughout the last couple of days.

"Until the last hole, I wasn’t sure if the scores were correct on the board. It's been such a long time to be able to stand in this position.”

The win means Tseng is now eligible for LET membership.