<YONHAP PHOTO-1607> Yani Tseng of Taiwan tees off on the 9th hole during the third round of the LPGA Taiwan golf championship at the Sunrise Golf and Country Club in Taoyuan, Taiwan, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011. (AP Photo/Wally Santana)/2011-10-22 17:45:32/ <저작권자 ⓒ 1980-2011 ㈜연합뉴스. 무단 전재 재배포 금지.>
Yani Tseng
야니 챙 (曾雅妮
Yani Tseng of Taiwan tees off on the 9th hole during the third round of the LPGA Taiwan golf championship at the Sunrise Golf and Country Club in Taoyuan, Taiwan, Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011. (AP Photo/Wally Santana)/2011-10-22 17:45:32/ <저작권자 ⓒ 1980-2011 ㈜연합뉴스. 무단 전재 재배포 금지.> Yani Tseng 야니 챙 (曾雅妮

Yani Tseng

ORLANDO, Florida (AFP) ― Two-time LPGA player of the year Yani Tseng hopes to put the finishing touches on the finest season of her career with a win at the season-ending CME Group Titleholders event.

The 22-year-old Tseng heads into the tour’s season-ending tournament having already secured the POY title for the second straight season.

“I’ve really enjoyed this year,” Tseng said. “I’ve had a great year. I am proud of myself the way I have improved.”

World No. 1 Tseng, who will be making the 101st start of her career, will face stiff challenges for the $500,000 first-place prize from the likes of world No. 2 Suzann Pettersen of Norway, Britain’s Catriona Matthew, South Korean Pak Se-ri, Sweden’s Maria Hjorth and American Cristie Kerr.

Other notables include Michelle Wie and 2011 rookie of the year Seo Hee-kyung of South Korea.

The event begins Thursday and features a field of 66 elite players who qualified as the top three finishers in each of the 22 LPGA Tour events this year.

Tseng has 12 career tour wins, including a tour-leading seven victories this year.


koreaherald@heraldcorp.com