WUHAN, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Zhang Weiwei picked up her second win of the China LPGA Tour season on Saturday in wire-to-wire fashion as the Hubei native did just enough to win the Wuhan Challenge by two strokes.
The 22-year-old closed with a final round 73 to finish on six-under 210 at the Orient Wuhan. The victory solidified her lead atop the CLPGA Tour Order of Merit.
Japan's Yu Okamura and Ayaka Suzuki, who were three strokes off the lead going into the day, could not mount a challenge. Each closed with an even-par 72 to finish equal second with China's Pan Yanhong (71).
Thailand's Parinda Phokan (68) tied for fifth with China's Zhang Yunjie (70) at five strokes back.
Zhang, who has finished no worse than sixth in seven CLPGA Tour events this season, had vowed to play aggressively in the final round to protect her lead which she had held since the opening round. After starting with four straight pars, a double bogey seven at the 508-yard fifth saw her fall to five-under in the hot and overcast conditions.
After getting her first birdie of the day at the ninth hole to make the turn at one-over, Zhang would then pick up more strokes at holes 10 and 12 to get to eight-under. She finished the back nine with another birdie at the 176-yard 16th and three bogeys, including on the final two holes.
"I am tired after playing four straight tournaments and it has affected my performance. I will say that Thursday was the best day for me, yesterday was a little down, and today I feel exhausted. Playing with two Japanese players gave me so much pressure. They are all very solid," said Zhang.
"It is my hometown after all. They cheer for my every shot. I wanted to play the best I could. But with much desire I did feel a bit of pressure," she added.
Playing in the final group for the first time, Suzuki briefly got to the top of the leaderboard when she made her second birdie of the day at the 329-yard seventh hole to get to six-under. Yet, she couldn't build on that as her back nine included four bogeys and two more birdies.
"I was on the top of leaderboard for a brief time, but I was so nervous. I kept telling myself to calm down and follow Zhang Weiwei's game. She was the leader from the first round and she is good technically and mentally," said the 24-year-old who played her amateur golf in the US.
Pan, the five-time winner on the CLPGA Tour who is back playing after taking a year off to have a child, put together her best result of the season. The former power-lifter carded eagles on holes 12 and 17 but stumbled to a double-bogey six at the last when a par would have forced a playoff with Zhang.
"Although I didn't win, I am super happy with it," said the 36-year-old Hebei native.
China's Pan Jiehong was the top amateur as the 15-year-old struggled to a final round 77 after shooting a 68 in the second round to finish tied for 11th, eight strokes off the pace.
