Washington (United States) (AFP) – Yuna Nishimura captured her first LPGA title on Sunday at the NW Arkansas Championship, doing so in wire-to-wire fashion after firing a final-round five-under-par 66 at Pinnacle Country Club. The 26-year-old Japanese standout, a six-time winner on her homeland tour, managed her first top-10 finish of the year outside pairs events after missing the cut in five of her past six starts.
Nishimura fired back-to-back 63s to seize a five-stroke lead before closing the 54-hole event with five birdies, two bogeys, and an eagle to finish on 21-under 192 for a five-stroke triumph at Rogers, Arkansas. “A five-shot lead is a pretty tough situation but I believed in myself and just kept going until the end,” Nishimura said. “I missed a lot of cuts this year, so for me to win this tournament is a surprise, but it’s a dream come true.”
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Nishimura became the third LPGA first-time winner of the season and the 24th Japanese player with an LPGA victory. Sharing second on 197 were Japan’s Aki Iwai, South Korean Chun In-gee, and Thailand’s Chanettee Wannasaen. Iwai fired five consecutive birdies in her closing 62. “I was thinking it’s going to be low every player,” Iwai said. “That’s why I have to go…more aggressive.”
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