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Tseng claims top LPGA award for 2010

Yani Tseng became only the second player in five years to head the LPGA list, with four-time winner Lorena Ochoa now retired.
Yani Tseng became only the second player in five years to head the LPGA list, with four-time winner Lorena Ochoa now retired.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Yani Tseng wins LPGA Rolex Player of the Year award for the first time
  • Taiwanese player has won three titles in 2010 and won two major championships
  • Tseng was LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 2008 and is the youngest player to win three majors
  • Na Yeon Choi tops LPGA Tour Money List with earnings in excess of $1.5million

(CNN) -- Taiwan's Yani Tseng was crowned LPGA Rolex Player of the Year after a nervous wait at the season-ending Tour Championship in Florida.

The 21-year-old Tseng has won two of the LPGA's four major championships in 2010, and arrived in Orlando with a clear lead at the top of the Player of the Year points list.

But after shooting a one-over-par 71 in her final round on Sunday, Tseng could only watch on as Christie Kerr of the United States and South Korea's Na Yeon Choi chased a win that would see them overtake Tseng in the standings.

However, Kerr and Choi were both eclipsed by Sweden's Maria Hjorth, who secured her first victory since becoming a mother last year.

I never thought I would be holding this trophy. I've been working so hard to chase this
--Yani Tseng
RELATED TOPICS
  • Golf
  • LPGA Tour
  • LPGA Championship
  • PGA Tour

Hjorth's win ensured Tseng's 21st-place finish was enough to secure her maiden player of the year title -- capping a superb season in which she won three tournaments, including the Kraft Nabisco Championship and the Ricoh British Women's Open.

'Pink Panther' finds inspiration in overcoming adversity

The 2008 Rookie of the Year has achieved eight top-10 finishes in 20 tournaments this season and earned over $1.5million in prize money.

"I never thought I would be holding this trophy," Tseng told reporters. "I've been working so hard to chase this."

Kerr finished runner-up to Tseng with Choi third -- but Choi did celebrate topping the LPGA money list, having banked $1,871,166 from 23 tournaments.

The Rolex Player of the Year standings are calculated based on points awarded for top-10 finishes in LPGA Tour events -- with double points on offer at the season-ending LPGA Tour Championship.

Tseng's success ends a streak of four successive titles for Mexico's now-retired Lorena Ochoa, while Korea's Jiyai Shin will finish the year atop the world rankings.