Chongming Island: Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong did just enough to post a wire-to-wire victory during third round play at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Championship on Sunday as the Thai veteran battled through windy conditions to win by one stroke in Shanghai.
After leading by a single stroke going into the final round at the Lanhai International Golf Club Yangtze Dune layout, the 26-year-old Bueng Kan native closed with an even-par 72 to claim the winner's prize and move to the top of the China LPGA Tour Order of Merit. Sherman finished the tournament with a 54-hole score of five-under 211.
Fellow Thai Supamas Sangchan (70) finished second, a shot ahead of China's Shi Yuli (72). Aunchisa Utama (70) added to the strong Thai showing in finishing equal fourth with Chinese amateur Cao Xinyu (75) at four strokes off the pace.
Sherman got off to a difficult start when she carded back-to-back bogeys starting from the third hole. She then picked up birdies at the sixth and eighth holes to make the turn at even par.
The back nine saw Sherman survive an erratic finish featuring two more birdies, including a key birdie on the penultimate hole to get to six-under, followed by a bogey five at the last.
"After the second round I talked to my dad. He was in the temple and I told him 'pray for me' and if I win I will make the drive back to Bueng Kan. It's about a 12 to 13 hours northeast of Bangkok, so I'll have a long drive ahead of me once I get back to Thailand.
"But I am very happy to get my first win in China," said Sherman who played regularly on the US LPGA Tour from 2017-2019.