Californian teenager Angel Yin produced a birdie-birdie finish in a two-hole play-off to claim her first professional title at the Omega Dubai Ladies Classic.
The 19-year-old from Los Angeles added the striking Dallah trophy to her Solheim Cup win earlier this summer and gained a two-year exemption on the Ladies European Tour, where she started her career as a rookie in 2017.
“I’m absolutely thrilled,” said Yin, officially the second longest hitter on the LET, with an average driving distance of 276.75 yards. “This is the perfect way to finish off 2017.”
Yin posted a bogey-free final round of 67 to join Céline Herbin and In-Kyung Kim in the clubhouse on 15-under-par, but she almost gave it away by driving her ball right and it trickled into the lake on the par-five 18th in regulation play. She found the light rough to the left of the fairway from the 18th tee on the first play-off hole, but almost holed her third shot. After driving the green on the par-4 17th, the second play-off hole, she won with a tap-in birdie.
“It’s been a long week and I’m happy to be here in Dubai for the second time. I had a great time last year and I’m happy to be here again,” said Yin, who tied for 10th in the event in 2017. At the prize giving speech, she added: “Two days ago I went to the aquarium in the Dubai Mall and today I’m going to see penguins with my friends – yes! I loved the course and it was in great shape.”
Herbin, who shot a final round of 64, wasn’t too disappointed at being eliminated with a double-bogey on the 18th hole after finding the water with her third shot.
She said: “I mean, it was really a bonus for me to in this play-off today. It was an awesome round for me, my personal best, minus eight and I had nine birdies. I enjoyed it a lot today.
“I played very well, really, but so I spent a little bit too much time without playing. I finished earlier and I lost a little bit of rhythm, I would say. I could feel it on the drive and even the 7-iron on the lay-up. The sand wedge went out of the clubface, but today is a very nice day for me. It’s nice to finish well in this tournament, one of the biggest of the LET and I’m very happy.”
Kim, the 2009 champion, admitted that she was disappointed to have missed her birdie putt from six feet on the 17th hole in the play-off, but felt that she had given it her best.
She said: “You know, just getting myself in contention on the back nine, that was my goal. I was able to get into the playoff. I think that was the best scenario that I could ever have ask for before teeing off. I’m sure that a lot of girls played well today, and we all have a similar story. The course was set up for more aggressive play, but I think I took good advantage of it.”
Overnight leader Anne Van Dam fired a final round of 71 and ended two strokes back in fourth place, with Aditi Ashok, Charley Hull and Pernilla Lindberg tied for fifth.
Thidapa Suwannapura was eighth, while Olivia Cowan and Michele Thomson completed the top 10 spots.
Georgia Hall, who had already wrapped up the Order of Merit, tied for 21st place and a tie for 66th was enough for Camille Chevalier to end the season as the leading first year professional and be crowned as the LET Rookie of the Year.
