Persistence is the word to describe Epson Tour rookie and the newest champion, Yahui Zhang. The 18-year-old had seen six top-10 finishes before the Four Winds Invitational and was in contention to earn her first win multiple times since her first start in April. All of those moments, including her playoff loss to Savannah Vilaubi at the Otter Creek Championship, led to this moment when she could drop her head in relief instead of disappointment, finally finding herself in the winner's circle in South Bend.
"I'm so excited. The only thing I want to do is cry," said Zhang. "After I putted in the three-yard putt, the only thing I wanted to do was cry."
The final round of the tournament, played under challenging windy conditions, was a true test of skill and resilience. The field, battling the elements, managed to produce only four under-par rounds throughout the day. Despite a 3-over scorecard that saw four birdies, five bogeys and a double bogey, Zhang held her ground, maintaining her second-round lead that was under constant threat from multiple players. Her ability to stay focused and deliver under pressure secured her first professional win and was unmatched down the stretch.
The People's Republic of China native was celebrated greenside by her mom and dad, who also doubles as her caddie. Now the Race for the Card leader, Zhang is one step closer to officially calling herself an LPGA Tour member and hopes to hang on to the top spot and earn both Player of the Year and Gaelle Truett Rookie of the Year honors.
"Being 19 years old and getting to the LPGA is a big thing in our family," Zhang added.
Finishing just one shot back of Zhang were Lauren Stephenson and Fatima Fernandez Cano, sharing second at 5-under. Fernandez Cano shot even-par, carding five birdies and five bogeys, while Stephenson signed for a 2-over round that consisted of three birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey. With the top finish, Stephenson moves from 3rd to 2nd in the Race for the Card rankings and is happy to be on the course and playing well.
"I've had a really solid season," said Stephenson. "I've been really happy with where my game is, and it's just been nice to be out here and have fun golfing again and not take it too seriously. I know every week that I'm capable of winning, so just taking that confidence into the next few weeks, I'm motivated to get another trophy under my belt."
The Tour heads to Prattville, Ala., for the Guardian Championship with a new Race for the Card leader and plenty of athletes chasing the top spot. With only four tournaments remaining, it's coming down to the wire to secure a place in the coveted top 15 and earn LPGA Tour status for 2025, making every point crucial.
QUICK QUOTES
Annabelle Pancake (-4, T4) on having the round of the day at 3-under:
“Well, I started with a bogey, so that was humbling really quick. But it was nice because I was just steady today, and I was patient. That's key out here, especially with wind. The front nine was pretty chill, and then on the back nine, I was able to drain a lot of really clutch putts, which was great. I also was hitting the ball really well. I was just really steady, and patience was key today.”
Savannah Vilaubi (-3, T6) on her approach to the rest of the season:
“A couple of top five finishes coming down this stretch is going to do pretty well for the rankings. The idea is to get into the top 15, ideally at the top 10, so we'll just keep working for that during the last four tournaments.”
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