Michelle Koh from Malaysia had a four-shot disadvantage to overcome when the final round of the 2015 CTBC Shanghai Ladies Classic got underway at the Tianma Country Club. But halfway through, the former amateur champion found herself in serious contention when she already tied the lead. Koh went on to secure two more birdies which proved to be decisive for her first tour win, as she edged overnight leader Cheng Ssu-Chia (程思嘉) by two shots.

Koh put up a bogey-free 6-under 66 that includes six birdies through the first twelve holes to finish 10-under par 206. The win was worth RMB120,000. “I feel proud to come from such a position to win my first title, especially in an event with such historic significance,” said the 25-year-old, whose father is a Taiwanese golf coach moving to Malaysia.

Cheng, up until the 11th tee, only managed to muster pars and her second-round co-leader Supamas Sangchan moved forward just one shot. This was when Koh smelled her chance and cut in. Koh holed out the par-4 12th with a birdie to take the outright lead and calmly made pars on the way back to the clubhouse. “I couldn’t help checking the leaderboard at the last two holes and felt a bit nervous, but gladly I closed out clean,” said Koh.

A final-hole birdie was just too late for 17-year-old Cheng, but on a positive note, it brought her back to a final-round even par 72 which promoted her to solo second and one shot above a group of five at 209, including last week’s Beijing Challenge winner Pan Yanhong (潘艷紅), Yan Panpan (閻盼盼), Ye Ziqi (葉子琪), Korean Jang So Young and Thailand’s Titiya Plucksataporn, who also carded a final round of 66.

Cheng failed another quest for her first Tour title, having won four times in pro events as an amateur. “I was a little disappointed I could not make a few more birdies there,” said Cheng. “My iron was not as sharp as I needed it to be. That left some difficult putts to make birdies.”

“At the last three holes, it kind of reminded me of the TLPGA Taifong Ladies Open this year, where I was the leader in the final round but gave away three shots in the last three and ended up at the second place,” Cheng explained. “So this makes me feel better; at least I got to finish strong today with a birdie to make me the solo second.” Sangchan, on the other hand, tumbled amid pressure when she wrapped up with a round of 75 to drop to equal eighth at five shots off the lead in a group of five that includes TLPGA member Yu Pei-Lin (余珮琳).

Yu used a low-round 65 to become the only other Taiwanese finishing in the top-10, in which she made a lifetime twelfth ace, and third in competition, on Hole 5. Yu took out a 7-iron from her bag and holed out from 160 yards, winning her a massage chair offered by the Tianma Country Club.

The RMB800,000 LPGA Tour of Taiwan and China LPGA Tour co-sanctioned event features a full complement of TLPGA Tour players swinging in mainland China for the first time. It is also just the second tournament of a cross-strait cooperation after last year’s CTBC Ladies Open held in Taipei.