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Yang: Last To First

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The Associated Press

Published: March 9, 2009

PALM BEACH GARDENS - Y.E. Yang was first to finish at last year's Honda Classic.

This time, he finished first.

Alone in front throughout, Yang shot a final round of 2-under 68 Sunday to finish one shot ahead of John Rollins and pick up his first PGA Tour victory.

The Korean took command with three straight birdies on the front side and wouldn't fold, picking up a two-year exemption and a check for $1,008,000. With the win, he qualified for next week's CA Championship at Doral, plus earned an invitation to next month's Masters.

Yang played last year's final round at PGA National by himself, going off first and needing only 1 hour, 53 minutes to finish.

He was there until the very end this time, pumping his fist in the air when his 50-footer for birdie nestled to a stop a foot away from the cup, giving him a tap-in for victory.

For a guy whose claim to fame was beating Tiger Woods at the 2006 HSBC Champions in Shanghai, it was a moment to savor.

Rollins (67) was alone in second. Ben Crane (68) was third after finishing 6 under and Jeff Klauk (71) was alone in fourth, another shot back.

LPGA: South Korean star Jiyai Shin won the HSBC Women's Champions in Singapore for her fourth LPGA Tour victory in eight months, shooting her second straight 6-under 66 for a two-stroke victory against Australia's Katherine Hull (74).

The 21-year-old Shin, five strokes behind Hull at the start of the round, had an 11-under 277 and earned $300,000. Angela Park (68), Paula Creamer (70) and Angela Stanford (73) tied for third at 8 under.

CHAMPIONS: Eduardo Romero shot a 3-under 68 to win the Toshiba Classic in Newport Beach, Calif., by one stroke over Joey Sindelar and Mark O'Meara.

Romero finished at 11-under 202 to earn $255,000 for his fifth career Champions Tour victory.

Sindelar had the best round of the day at 8-under 63.

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