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Young Chinese star racks up third win in a row

There’s just no stopping teenage sensation Yin Ruoning.

Continuing one of the most astonishingly successful starts to a professional golfing career, the Chinese starlet eked out a hard-fought one-stroke victory in the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Orient Masters last month.

It was her third win from three starts since relinquishing her amateur status in August.

Displaying skill and poise in equal measures, the 17-year-old closed with a bogey-free three-under par 69 for a 54-hole score of 10-under 206 at Fujian Province’s Orient Xiamen in China.

The former China national amateur representative is believed to be the first player to post three straight wins to start a professional golf career.

“Three straight wins definitely is a great achievement,'' Yin said.

``It’s an incredible start for my professional career,” said Yin.

“Last week, Chris Feng [China LPGA Tour operations director] told me to step on the gas and try to win back-to-back. I said I wanted three straight wins. He said no one ever did that. I’m really happy I did it. I proved that,” added Yin, who earned about $NZ22,000 for her latest triumph.

Zhang Weiwei, last year’s China LPGA Tour order of merit winner, shot a tournament low six-under 66 to finish one stroke back at the event that was played without spectators. Zhang Yunjie, who led the tournament with three holes remaining, ended third on 208 following a 70.

Going into the final round with a one-stroke lead, Yin made a birdie-four at the 534-yard second to get to eight-under. She parred the next nine holes before making her second birdie of the day at 12. Meanwhile, her playing partner Zhang Yunjie progressed to 10 under par through 15 holes to lead by one.

It was the 165-yard 16th that proved decisive. While Zhang Yunjie three-putted for a bogey-four, Yin holed a 25-footer for a birdie-two. That two-shot swing enabled Yin to regain a one-stroke lead that she would not relinquish.


Yin Ruoning holds up three fingers following her third win in a row in China.