Salas wins LPGA Kingsmill Championship

Lizette Salas claimed her first win on the LPGA Tour by closing with an even-par 71 to win the Kingsmill Championship by four shots. The 24-year-old American on Sunday finished 72 holes on 13-under-par 271 at the Kingsmill Resort and Spa course. "I was patient and I was happy today," Salas said. "I felt so ready. There are so many emotions going on right now. I am just trying to breathe." Australian Sarah Jane Smith matched the low round of the day with a five-under 66 to finish second, her best LPGA finish. She shared second place at 275 by American Lexi Thompson (69) and former world number one Tseng Ya-Ni (69). South Korean Ryu So-Yeon (69) and New Zealand's Lydia Ko (71) shared fifth place at eight-under 276. Thidapa Suwannapura of Thailand shot two-under 69 to grab seventh at seven-under 277. Salas was coming off a missed cut two weeks ago at the North Texas Shootout. She said there were several factors involved in her being able to turn her game around, including a new putter and a different mental approach. "I made a putter switch last week when I was home," she said. "I took a different approach this week of not thinking so much and trying not to be perfect. "The knees were shaking a little bit but after being in the Solheim Cup I knew how to control my nerves. I knew where to hit it and I just stayed patient." Salas made birdie on two of her first five holes then parred numbers six and seven. She bogeyed the eighth -- one of two bogeys on the day. Her steady play on the back nine helped her cruise to the win. "Once I got to 17 we had a nice little cushion so I enjoyed that walk up 18," she said. " Last year's winner, American Cristie Kerr, stumbled to a one-over 72 for the second consecutive round. Kerr shared 29th place at two-under 282. New Zealand teen Lydia Ko and American Stacy Lewis each missed a chance to move into the world number one ranking. Source: AFP