Taiwan’s Hsieh Yu-Ling (謝瑀玲) captured an emotional victory at the $100,000 Party Golfers Ladies Open, fending off the challenge from Chang Ching-Ling (張靖翎), last week’s KENDA Tire TLPGA Open runner-up, who twice shared the top place on the leaderboard.

Despite a bad putting day at the National Garden Golf and Country Club, Hsieh concluded the 54th hole of the tournament with a successful 17-foot par putt to defeat Chang by just one shot. Her final score was 7-under-par 209. The victory is worth $18,000.

Chang carded 70, making her final total 210. The second consecutive solo-second finish earned her a $9,600 check. Lynn Chiu (邱齡緹) closed with a second straight 70 to secure her place in the top three at 211.

16-year-old Yeh Chia-Ju (葉家儒) won the low-amateur title. Her 4-under 212 sit fourth on the leaderboard tying with Chonlada Chayanun (66), Huang Ching (黃靖) (68), Deniella Uy (68) and Kuo Ai-Chen (郭艾臻) (70).

Kuo was the third player who briefly enjoyed the taste at the top today.

The momentum appeared to be building for Kuo right from the start. She looked to be a serious dark horse when she grasped five birdies chances through just ten holes and matched Hsieh’s score, who was visibly depressed with a tight opening – the eventual winner bogeyed the first hole after a three-putt, and dropped two more shots on the 6th and 10th.

Just when Kuo’s form dipped, who rattled with a double-bogey on the 12th and went downhill from there, Chang found her range on the 11th green to make a 21-footer for birdie that put her just one behind Hsieh.

Chang continued to pressurize Hsieh, setting herself up in birdie position from 2 feet on the 15th, as well as on the 17th and 18th from 21 feet and 28 feet, but she failed all three attempts. Hsieh, who needed 30 putts on Friday, despite not finding her target in most of the mid-length tries, made the longest and most crucial one on the 18th from 17 feet to avoid a bogey and an extended round. She completed the round carding two birdies and four bogeys.

After a 7-year title drought, Hsieh appeared emotional on the award ceremony. “Thanks to my team, my sponsor CTBC Bank, and my families,” said Hsieh, whose last TLPGA Tour victory dates back to the 2014 season when she lifted a 36-hole “pro-junior” event title. She hasn’t taken another win in an official 54-hole or 72-hole championship since she won at the Yearng Der TLPGA Invitational in 2012.

“Seven years. I thought I would’ve made it a little faster,” Hsieh said. “You couldn’t have imagined the self-doubt that constantly goes on in me that has made me suffer, but I have no choice but to stay strong and have hopes. And finally, I’m standing here.”

“I was the lucky one this week. I hope I can carry this feeling into the up-coming events and hopefully I can also win a big one in Japan soon.” Hsieh holds membership for the Japan LPGA Tour in 2020.

The Party Golfers’ TLPGA Open is co-sanctioned with the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (LPGT) for the second year. The two Tours started their jointly sanction partnerships since 2015.