Capelle On Golf

Yani Tseng has laid claim to title of the world’s best golfer with her win at the Women’s British Open.

At the age of 21 and 6 months, she has now won three majors at a much earlier age than anyone else. Se Re Pak was 23 years and 10 months old when she claimed her third. Annika Sorenstam, the best player of the last 30 years, did not win her third of 10 until she was 30!

Tseng has also claimed three legs of the Career Grand Slam, taking these monkey’s off her back, leaving her free to add to her collection in each event. And all that’s left for round one of the Slam is the U.S. Open, at which she finished 10t this year.

With three majors already and a locomotive’s worth of career momentum on her side, it is not hard to imagine this young phenom jetting up the major’s ladder. To reach the top, she must win 15 like Patty Berg. If you only consider the majors winners since the LPGA was formed in 1950, then Mickey Wright, with 13, is the one to beat. And, in the Modern Era, Sorenstam leads the way with seven more than Tseng.

There are several reasons why Tseng could become the Best Ever: 1) she’s got so much time ahead of her, 2) she’s got momentum, 3) she plays well under pressure, 4) she’s proven she can win under varying conditions, from the desert to the parkland courses to the links across the pond, and 5) most importantly, she’s got the best swing since Jack Nicklaus.

On this last point, consider the evidence. So far this year she ranks fourth in Greens in Regulation. When she won the Kraft-Nabisco earlier this year she was second in GIR, one back of Karen Stubbles. And, at the British Open, she put on what was arguably the most dominant display of ball striking in the history of the game.

Here is the proof: Tseng hit 63 greens (88%) in regulation. Among the next 12 finishers (the top 9 and ties) second place finisher Karen Hull was next with 54. As a group, the dozen closest followers averaged only 47.6 (66%), nearly four per round fewer.

Her statistical dominance was no accident - Tseng has a near perfect swing, a blend of perfect positions, aggression, and artistry. She attacks the ball with complete confidence and no fear. The result: long and accurate drives a la Nicklaus, and unerring iron play, again like Jack.

Another thing about Tseng is that, like Nicklaus, she knows how to win, and not just with a lead like Woods.

At the age of 19, she made up a three shot deficit on Maria Hjorth, her opponent in a playoff, and two shot deficits to Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa with a closing 68. She then stuck her approach close to the pin to win the sudden death playoff to win the 2008 LPGA. At this year’s Kraft-Nabisco she finished with a 68, which tied for low round of the day, after starting the final round a shot back of Stubbles. In short, she knows how to win from behind, to post low closing rounds, and to withstand the pressure of a playoff.

That takes us to yesterday’s Open. Going into the final round, Tseng enjoyed a four shot lead over Hull after posting three straight 68s. The tournament was hers to win or lose, and you could see that she was trying desperately to prevent the later. Going into the back nine, Tseng still lead by four after the pair matched 35s on the front nine.

On the tenth, Tseng three-putted to drop a shot, then lost another at 11 when Hull holed about a 20 footer for birdie. On the long13th Hull stuck her approach from over 200 yards to three feet to close within a shot with five to play. Game on!

Both hit long on the par-three 14th and faced the same tricky putt from off the back, which broke sharply to the right. Hull putted to within 4 feet, Tseng to about seven. Leaking oil, this was the make or break putt, and Tseng calmly rolled it into the center of the cup to maintain her one shot advantage.

The duo matched pars on the next four holes, so Tseng carried a one shot lead into the reachable par-five 18th. After Hull drove in the rough, Tseng bombed her tee shot down the gut - but it rolled and rolled until it tumbled into an awkward lie in a bunker, over 300 yards from the tee. Hull blasted her fairway metal over the green, leaving herself with a tough pitch. Tseng was forced to lay up, leaving her 140 yards from the pin. Her third strayed wide right and long, about 40 feet from the pin off the back edge.

Hull’s third was killed by the slope and her ball stopped about 20 feet short. Tseng, faced with a super tough approach over hill and dale, left her putt about 6 feet short. Hull missed, her ball stopping about two feet past the hole, setting the stage for Tseng to choke or respond to the moment like a champion. She rolled the winning putt into the cup to claim her third major.

Not long ago people worried about the demise of women’s golf. But if you look at this year’s majors, you’d have to say that the game has much going for it. American stars Christie Kerr (the LPGA) and Paul Creamer (the U.S. Open) won majors, and Tseng, potentially the Best Ever, captured two. What, indeed, is there not to like about that?