Ravnjak completes wire-to-wire CLPGA Tour Q School win

WANNING, China, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Four birdies over the final seven holes proved the difference for Tahnia Ravnjak on Friday as the Australian completed a wire-to-wire victory at the China LPGA Tour Qualifying Tournament with a three stroke win.

The rookie pro finished the 54-hole tournament with a two-under 70 for a score of eight-under 208 to top the 88-player field in Hainan Island. Chinese amateur Zhang Yue closed with a two-under 70 over The Dunes at Shenzhou Peninsula West Course to finish runner-up.

Chinese Taipei's Peng Chieh (70) was third at six strokes back in the tournament where the top-30 players received their full playing card for the 2018 China LPGA Tour season.

Ravnjak, who held a two stroke lead going into the final day, made a birdie four at the 495-yard second hole to get to seven-under. She then dropped shots with bogeys at holes four, seven and 10 to sit at four-under.

Her collapse came as playing partner Zhang posted three birdies over the first eight holes to get to get six-under. After the 16-year-old made a bogey six at the 536-yard 12th hole, Ravnjak pulled even with a birdie four for a two-shot swing to tie for the lead at five-under.

As Zhang could do no better than even-par over the final six holes, Ravnjak reeled off consecutive birdies starting at the 14th hole and then picked up another at the final to seal the win.

"I started off well today but made two easy bogeys on the front nine. I realized I have to make up more birdies coming in to finish strong," said the 24-year-old from Cordeaux Heights near Wollongong. "I was really happy with my golf this week. My swing was good, my putting was really good and I made a few Chinese friends here. A really happy ending."

Ravnjak, who turned pro last year after an outstanding college career at Campbell University in North Carolina, said she would be going home tomorrow to play the final six events of the Australian women's tour season before coming back to China.

"Being my first year as a pro I just really want to get as much experience as I can, play as many tournaments as I can. Hopefully I don't miss too many cuts. This tournament was very organized, I am looking forward to the 2018 China Tour."

Yue, ranked 521 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, demonstrated why she was a player to watch this week with her five-under score. Her final round included three birdies and a bogey.

"Every day is better than yesterday. I have good improvement these days, almost achieved my desired goal cause as the game goes I set my goals higher," said the Hainan-based teenager, a China national team member.

"I didn't put too much pressure on myself and didn't think about the winner, just focused on my shots."

The Dunes at Shenzhou Peninsula West Course is a 6,275-yard, par-72 layout designed by Tom Weiskopf.

China LPGA Tour Qualifying Tournament third round leading scores (China unless stated; *denotes amateur):

The following players earn their full playing-card for the 2018 CLPGA Tour season:

208 - Tahnia Ravnjak (Australia) 67-71-70

211 - Zhang Yue* 70-71-70

214 - Peng Chieh (Chinese Taipei) 70-72-70

215 - Li Gengshan* 68-76-71, Lynn Chui (Chinese Taipei) 71-72-72

216 - Hong Yoo-yeon (South Korea) 72-72-72

217 - Zhou Jiayi 72-76-69, Wang Tianyu 74-74-69, Ji Yifan* 73-75-69, Hanee Song (New Zealand) 71-73-73

218 - Weng Li-ting (Chinese Taipei) 71-73-74, Du Mohan* 68-72-78,

219 - Pitsaon Chaichompoo (Thailand) 76-75-68, Futaba Takimoto (Japan) 70-74-75

220 - Liu Yiyi* 73-76-71, Thanaporn Palitwanon (Thailand) 76-72-72, Zhang Jingwen* 74-73-73, Pauline Delrosario (Philippines) 72-75-73

221 - Thanya Pattamakijsak (Thailand) 74-74-73, Pan Yen-ling (Chinese Taipei) 75-71-75

222 - Sharmila Nicollet (India) 77-73-72, Shi Yuli* 73-76-73, Qin Min* 73-76-73, Hu Jing* 77-68-77

223 - Wu Chih-yun (Chinese Taipei) 74-79-70, Yupaporn Kawinpakorn (Thailand) 78-73-72, Rika Park (South Korea) 75-76-72

224 - Yuan Hexi* 81-73-70, Yang Jiaxin 77-75-72, Yin Xue 76-74-74

The following players receive limited playing privileges for the 2018 CLPGA Tour season:

224 - Jackie Chulya (Thailand) 72-77-75, Yang Fei-chien* (Chinese Taipei) 73-75-76

225 - Amelia Yong (Singapore) 74-76-75, Natsuka Hori (Japan) 72-77-76

226 - Jin Man* 73-81-72, Sae Yamamura (Japan) 74-77-75, Huang Yu-ning (Chinese Taipei) 75-75-76

227 - Elmay Viking (Cook Islands) 76-75-76, Jidapha Phongthanachalitkun (Thailand) 74-76-77, Kim Do-yeon (South Korea) 76-72-79

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