Yani Tseng makes it look easy in winning LPGA’s Kia Classic

Reporting from Carlsbad -- Yani Tseng had led after the first, second and third rounds of the Kia Classic golf tournament, and by the ninth hole of the final round, she was five shots ahead of the field.

So the top-ranked women’s golfer in the world played the final nine holes without much pressure from those behind her and enjoyed the accolades she received on the course. Plus, the cries of “Go, Yani” distracted the large groups of birds walking alongside the golfers.

Tseng, in only her fifth year on the LPGA Tour, collected her 15th title after a safe two-under-par 70 in Sunday’s final round at the La Costa Resort course led her to a six-shot victory over South Korea’s Sun Young Yoo. Tseng, of Taiwan, had a four-day total of six-under 274 and won $255,000.

And although it’s not an exact science, comparing men and women, Tseng, two months past her 23rd birthday, is ahead of Tiger Woods’ early career winning pace. Woods won his 15th PGA Tour event when he was 23 years 11 months old.

And Tseng had already beaten Woods last year when she became the youngest pro golfer to win a fifith major championship; she was 22 years 6 months when she won the 2011 British Open. Woods was 24 years 7 months when he won his fifth, the 2000 PGA Championship.

Tseng gave a subdued fist pump and threw her ball into the gallery after making her only bogey of the day on the 18th hole.

Perhaps she was busy doing these calculations: She is the second-youngest player to win 15 LPGA Tour events — only Nancy Lopez was younger, 22 years 5 months 18 days, when she won her 15th.

This was Tseng’s third win in five starts this year and her sixth in her last 12 starts. There was only one nervous moment for her Sunday, when she held a three-shot lead going into the final round.

That advantage dropped to two shots over South Korea’s Jiyai Shin through four holes after Shin had birdied the second hole and Tseng had started with four straight pars.

But Tseng bombed a long drive on the fifth hole and ended up with the birdie. When Shin bogeyed the sixth, the rout was on.

“I think that was the turning point for today,” Tseng said. “I didn’t make any birdies before that.”

Yoo said it’s hard to describe the game Tseng is playing right now.

“There is nothing I can say. It was fun to watch,” Yoo said. “But it didn’t surprise me.”

Shin, who played in the last group with Tseng and Yoo, said it is impressive to watch Tseng’s concentration. “She’s great at focusing,” Shin said. “She’s won two weeks in a row and that’s pretty tough because the mental part is hard to control.”

Tseng said she was honored to be compared to Woods, whom she has never met. She also understands how news works. “If he’s going to win today, he’s probably going to be on the cover,” she said.

Tseng makes her off-season home in Orlando, Fla., not far from Woods. She has heard that Woods has practiced with LPGA pro Suzann Pettersen. “I said, ‘Can you bring me next time?’ I wish I could meet him. Maybe in the future.”

Recent USC graduates Belen Mozo and Lizette Salas finished tied for 43rd. Mozo, in her second year on the LPGA Tour, and Salas, a rookie, both qualified for next week’s Kraft Nabisco Championship in Rancho Mirage, the season’s first major.

diane.pucin@latimes.com

twitter.com/mepucin