Ji Eun-hee

Taipei, Oct. 22 (CNA) South Korean golfer Ji Eun-hee carded a seven-under par on the fourth round of the Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship Sunday, winning the tournament with a total 17-under 271 for the four-day event with cash prizes totaling US$2.2 million.

This was the 31-year-old golfer's first LPGA tournament victory in eight years.

"I'm so happy and excited because I haven't won for the past eight years," said Ji. "I have waited for this moment for so long."

New Zealand player Lydia Ko finished second with an 11-under 277.

The Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship, the second leg of LPGA's annual Asian swing, took place at the Miramar Golf Country Club in Linkou District, New Taipei, from Oct. 19-22.

Six current and former Rolex Rankings No. 1 players, including local favorite Yani Tseng (曾雅妮), Lydia Ko, American veteran Cristie Kerr, Thai player Ariya Jutanugarn, American Stacy Lewis and current world No. l Ryu So Yeon of South Korea took part.

Ryu tied for third with seven-under, while Tseng ended at 17th on two-under.

Hsu Wei-ling (徐薇淩) was the highest ranked Taiwanese player in the tournament, tying for 10th place.

Despite being in 27th place on Saturday, 23-year-old Hsu sunk a total of six birdies on the fourth round to card a six-under 66 on Sunday.

"Awesome!" said Hsu, revealing that she had never been asked to sign so many autographs before.

The final round of the Taiwan LPGA tournament drew President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who was invited to take a putt on the green of the 18th hole after the event ended.

Tsai won warm applause after she succeeded in sinking the ball. She is the first president to attend the lady's golf tournament since it was first held in Taiwan in 2011.

(By Huang Chiao-wen and Elizabeth Hsu)
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