Liu Yan booked her return ticket to next month's US Women's Open as the rookie pro battled through rainy conditions and outlasted a field of the region's top amateur talents yesterday to win the 36-hole China sectional qualifier by one stroke on Shanghai's Chongming Island.

The Xiamen native, who played in the US Women's Open last year as an amateur where she missed the cut, shot rounds of 71 and 75 for a score of 2-over 146 at the Lanhai International Golf Club. One spot was on offer at the qualifier for the US$5-million major being contested on July 13-16 at Bedminster, New Jersey. With 26 amateurs in the 33-player field, Anannaruk Pajaree (70-77) of Thailand and Lu Hsin-yu (76-71) of Chinese Taipei led the way in finishing equal runner-up.