The third and final round of the Aramco Chinese Championship concluded early Saturday morning as 25-year-old Lauren Walsh could not replicate her round two form and could only manage an even-par final round to end her tournament in T31 at five-under-par.
Walsh, who is having an incredible season as she currently sits 10th in the Order of Merit rankings, set the bar high in Friday’s round with a seven-under-par 66 but the Carton House member struggled to score on Saturday.
Beginning her day with a birdie at the par-4 third, Walsh couldn’t capitalise on momentum as she made a sore bogey at the par-5 sixth to take the turn at even-par.
Similar to the front nine, Walsh’s back nine was uneventful with the only slip up coming at the par-3 13th. Walsh did well to close out on a high note as she made birdie at the par-5 18th to post a 73.
With one event of the season remaining, Walsh will be hoping to maintain her good form to secure a top-10 Order of Merit finish.
At the top of the leaderboard, home golfer Ruixin Liu secured a three-stroke victory around Mission Hills China, with a score of 16-under-par.
The 26-year-old, who started one shot back from 36-hole leader Trichat Cheenglab, posted a bogey-free five-under final round – making three birdies and an eagle at the par-5 16th.
“I wasn’t very nervous today at all, I was just trying to play my golf because it’s very hot today,” said Liu.
The victory was even sweeter for Liu who lives on site at Mission Hills China and it was the first time she has played in a professional event in Shenzhen since turning professional in 2017.
“It’s so sweet, to have friends come over and watch me and to have my dad on the bag as well. The crowd is amazing so thank you… This is my home place I live here, it’s very special for me to win my first PIF Global Series in Shenzhen. I’m really happy,” she added.
It was a four-way tie for second place as Switzerland’s Chiara Tamburlini, China’s Liqi Zeng and Qianhui Lin and Thailand’s Trichat Cheenglab who all finished on 13-under.
Cheenglab, who held the second round lead, had a rollercoaster final round, making four birdies and three bogeys to post a one-under-par 72.
“Overall, the week was quite satisfying for me and more than I expected,” said the Thai star. “It was a shame today that I couldn’t make birdies, I have to work on my putter a bit with two or three three-putts,” said Cheenglab.
Sweden’s Kajsa Arwefjäll and China’s Ruoning Yin finished in a tie for sixth place with South Africa’s Casandra Alexander, China’s Ying Xu and Sweden’s Moa Folke ended in a share of eighth place.
The LET will now take a two-week break before the season-ending Andalucía Costa del Sol presented by Oysho at Real Guadalhorce Club de Golf from 27-30 November.
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