Tseng Named LPGA Player of the Year


Yani Tseng, the unquestioned No. 1 player in women's golf, has become the eighth player in LPGA Tour history to claim Player of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons.

The 22-year-old from Taiwan, who now makes Florida her home, has recorded six victories in 20 starts in 2011, her latest coming two weeks ago in the LPGA Hana Bank Championship. Last week she fired a final-round, 6-under 65 to come up a stroke short of catching winner Na Yeon Choi in the LPGA Malaysia at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.

Tseng locked up the honor five weeks early after accumulating 301 points in the LPGA's Player of the Year points system. She has more than the combined total of Nos. 2 Stacy Lewis and 3 Cristie Kerr.

Tseng has already earned a whopping $2,563,629 on the season. The Player of the Year announcement was made by LPGA Tour commissioner Michael Whan on Thursday before the opening round of the Sunrise LPGA Taiwan Championship, which not surprisingly, Tseng leads.

"It feels very special for me to have the award announced in Taiwan," Tseng said. "This week I can be sure to honor all of the fans in Taiwan, and I really appreciate the LPGA Tour for giving me the opportunity.

"I never even thought last year I would win it. I set out a goal in the beginning of the year to hopefully win it again, and I do my best every tournament," added Tseng, whose major titles this year include the LPGA Championship and Women's British Open.

She also finished as the runner-up in the Kraft Nabisco Championship, and leads the Vare Trophy race for low scoring average by more than a full stroke over Kerr.

"Yani is a true global ambassador of the LPGA and the game of golf," said Whan. "I know I join many golf fans who look forward to what she has in store for the remainder of the season."

Tseng will be presented the award at a reception in November during the season-ending CME Group Titleholders at Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando, Fla.