Photo USGA Robert Beck
South Korea has unearthed yet another golfing superstar with the success of A Lim Kim in today’s final round of the US Women’s Open at the Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas.
Kim’s final round of 67, which included birdies at her final three holes, saw her finish one shot clear of joint runners-up and first round leader, Amy Olson and the current world number one, Jin Young Ko.
Kim moved into the lead with an outward nine of 33 but bogeys at her 10th and 11th holes appeared to derail her chances of victory on debut in the female game’s most significant female event.
She would, though, close strongly and when she holed a curling left to right 12-footer at the last she had the lead and set the target for those playing in the groups behind.
Kim secures the last of three consecutive birdies to set the mark – photo USGA Robert Beck
Olson was then only one behind but a bogey at the 16th would mean a birdie, birdie finish was required for her to catch Kim. She made a great par save from the bunker at the 17th and birdied the 18th but fell one short.
So too did Ko but her round of 68 was the second best of the day behind the winner and continued an impressive recovery from her opening round of 73.
54 hole leader, Hinako Shibuno finished alone in 4th position, all four players the only golfers to finish the week under par on the demanding Crystal Creek layout at the Champions Club.
Kim was tied for ninth place entering the final round, making this the largest 54-hole comeback to win, by position, in U.S. Women’s Open history.
Kim is the fifth player in U.S. Women’s Open history to win in her debut, and the first since In Gee Chun in 2015. Even more incredible is that this was her first-ever start in any professional major championship.
When asked as to her mindset ahead of today’s round Kim responded: “To be honest, it was a little bit disappointing the third round on Saturday so I decided to come out today and try to be the aggressive player that I was, try to attack the pin, and it actually worked out today.”
Kim, who possesses an outstanding golf swing, becomes the 11th Korean woman to win the Women’s US Open, a run that started with Se Ri Kim’s trailblazing effort back in 1998 and clearly her feat will take time to sink in for the 25 year old.
“Can’t really describe it in words. I never expected that I was going to appear in the U.S. Women’s Open. I still can’t feel what it’s like right now, but I’ll probably feel it when the ceremony and everything wraps up today.”
Her victory was made all the more meritorious given its was her first time in the event and that she had never been exposed to Bermuda grass previously.
“Back in Korea there’s no Bermudagrass, so for me it was really — it took some time for me to get used to Bermudagrass, especially hitting the irons off the grass. You really need some kind of skill, different style of swing
in order to hit the ball out of the Bermudagrass.
“But love this golf course, love this environment. I even said earlier I want to actually put a tent up here and stay a
few more days.”
Kim has won twice on the Korean LPGA Tour and is not yet a member of the LPGA Tour although this might potentially change that. She arrived in the US for her debut in this event having recorded top tens in each of her last four starts in her homeland.
Another impressive week for Gabi Ruffels – photo USGA Chris Keane
The Australasian challenge was headed by 20 year old amateur Gabi Ruffels and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, the pair sharing 13th, Ruffels continuing to build towards what must now be considered a considerable professional career.
Ruffels’ round of 70 was the third best of the day and was highlighted by a massive six birdies.
“I guess I was pretty in the moment, I didn’t even realize I had six birdies,” said Ruffels. “But, yeah, I played pretty well today, I was really, really happy with the round. It was definitely one of the tougher days, conditions-wise, especially this morning it was pretty cold, warmed up a little bit.”
“It’s been awesome,” added Ruffels when asked her thoughts on the week. “I think I might have come top-15, still not sure yet, still a lot of golf out there, but it was awesome, so much fun.
“I feel like any time I can kind of mix it with the pros and know that I can compete against them it’s a great week. I feel like I did that this week and just gained a lot of confidence.”
For Ko it was a day of disappointment given her standing through 36 holes. Her round of 76 saw her slip from 5th to 13th place and while one of her better finishes in this particular event it was a day of what might have been. Ko recorded five bogeys and no birdies.
Hannah Green finished 40th, Minjee Lee 46th and Su Oh last of those who made the cut following her final horror round of 81.
A disappointing day for Lydia Ko – photo Simon Bruty USGA
English Wins Playoff – Scott Heads Australians in Hawaii
Harris English his first trophy in seven years – photo Getty Images / Gregory Shamus
Adam Scott has finished as the best of the Australians at the Sentry Tournament of Champions at the Kapalua Resort in Hawaii, the 40-year-old Queenslander finishing the event in a share of 22nd place at 15 under and ten shots from the eventual winner, Harris English.
Scott’s final round of 70 was the result of a fine fightback from an opening nine of 38, his closing nine of five under 32 considerably improving his final position and seeing him finish just one ahead of fellow Australians, Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith.
Leishman also recovered from a slow start with a final nine of 4 under par 33 for a round of 69 to finish tied for 25th.
Smith was another to benefit from a strong finish, birdies at his final two holes having him tied with Leishman.
All three of the Australians will play this coming week’s Sony Open in Honolulu where they will be joined by fellow Australians Aaron Baddeley, Cameron Davis, Rhein Gibson and Matt Jones, Smith defending his 2020 title.
The winner this week, Harris English, birdied the first extra hole of a play against Joaquin Niemann to win his third PGA Tour title but his first since 2014.
English had led at the end of each round although through 72 holes he was of course tied with Niemann.
English was justifiably emotional about his victory but his form in recent months suggested that another win was close at hand. He has recorded top ten finishes in three of hos four previous starts on the PGA Tour.
“It’s incredible – a lot of hard work over the years and there are times when you think you are never get there again,” said English.
“I have built a great team around me back in Sea Island. Nobody has ever given up on me or lost faith in me. There’s definitely been highs and lows but that is the way golf goes.”
Niemann produced the equal best round of the week (64) to take the sole lead at one stage of the round but was unable to birdie the last which might have made the difference and waited nearly an hour while those behind on the golf course finished their rounds.
“I played awesome the whole week, especially today,” said Niemann. “One of my best rounds. Yeah, I just look back to 15 and 18 from today, I couldn’t make birdie and I think it was right there. But, yeah, just happy and it was close.
“I mean, if you asked me at the beginning of the round I’m going to be in a playoff, I would probably take it, but, yeah, the way I was playing the whole week and the way I played today, and then I just look back and I see those two par-5s I made par. But, yeah, I mean it is what it is.”
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Cameron Smith Records 66 But Still Eight From Lead.
Ryan Palmer – round of the week 64 to share the lead – photo courtesy of Getty Images / Gregory Shamus
Cameron Smith produced one of the better rounds of the day (66) during round three of the Sentry Tournament of Champions at the Kapalua Resort in Hawaii, but, although he improved his position by some 16 places on the leader-board, he finds himself the same number of shots (8) from the lead as was the case beginning his round.
Second round leader, Harris English, continued his remarkable play to lead into tomorrow’s final round but he has been joined by Texan, Ryan Palmer, at 21 under par, that pair one shot ahead of current PGA Champion, Collin Morikawa.
Harris English – photo Getty Images
Morikawa added a second consecutive 65 to move into contention after a relatively slow start on Thursday.
English holed an eight-foot par saving par putt at the last to retain his share of the lead with Palmer having recorded the round of the week to date (64) but he (Palmer) was forced to await a rules ruling before confirming his score.
Palmer’s actions at the par 4 9th hole, when he brushed aside a couple of divots as his chunked chip shot rolled back down the hill short of the green, could have been seen as a means of improving the lie for his next shot but he was found to have no intent in his actions and his round of 64 stood.
After his round Palmer explained his actions. “Well, when I walked in there, I saw Munch (PGA Tour official) with a book out, John Munch, and I was like, What’s this about? And I started going through my mind on the day. And then when he said, We have a situation on 9, and I immediately was, like, let’s see, I hit a good 3-wood, fluffed a chip, told James I hit the wrong club, and then went to where I was ended up chipping again, I still had no idea.
“But then he showed me the video and I looked at it and I go, What am I looking at? And it took me watching it twice to understand what he was talking about and then, and discussed I kicked a divot, but the ball was five feet away from me where it ended up stopping, and I was, like, I don’t know what, still, what you’re asking me. Because there was no intention of me trying to help my ball because there was no way my ball was even close to where I was at.”
Palmer birdied six of his last seven holes to zoom into contention for the title and add another win in Hawaii to his list of victories having previously won the Sony Open in Honolulu.
Smith’s round was made even more meritorious taking into account a three putt bogey at the 12th but one week out from the defence of his Sony Open title he finds himself in very good form to do so and something special tomorrow might yet yield a very high finish here.
Smith is in 16th place after starting the day in 32nd position and finds himself one shot ahead of his fellow Queenslander, Adam Scott, who added a round of 5 under par 68 on the par 73 layout to be tied for 21st.
Marc Leishman is two behind Scott after his round of 71 on a day of extremely low scoring.
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Australians Lose Touch In Hawaii
Harris English has opened up a two shot lead – photo Getty Images Gregory Shamus
Australian chances of success at the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua Resort in Hawaii took a hit today despite Marc Leishman making progress with a second consecutive round of 69 to be at 8 under through 36 holes.
Scoring was again low on the par 73 layout with only one of the 42 player field over par at the halfway mark.
Leishman finds himself in a share of 22nd place in the 42-player field but some six shots from the leader, Harris English who leads by two over a four-way tie for second place including, Collin Morikawa, Daniel Berger, Ryan Palmer and defending champion, Justin Thomas.
While there is some margin between himself and the lead, Leishman will be encouraged by an improved showing in his first start of the year, especially given his very average second half of 2020.
Leishman’s only mistake came at the driveable par 4 14th on which he missed the green right from the tee and was forced to hit it sideways before reaching the green in three and took bogey. He would two-putt for birdie the last after setting up a good eagle chance.
Adam Scott was unable to capitalise on his opening round of 68 and his 2 under 71 saw him slip 18 places to now be in a share of 27th while Cameron Smith added a second consecutive 70 to be in 32nd place.
The leader, English, is playing the event for just the second occasion having finished 14th on debut in 2014. English is in the expanded field courtesy of making it to the Tour Championship but has not won on the PGA Tour since 2013.
His most recent form has been encouraging with three top tens in his last four starts on the PGA Tour.
“Yeah, it was a cool perk of making it to the TOUR Championship and getting in this week,” said English. “That was awesome. I have wanted to get back here since 2014 and watched this tournament every year when I’m back home and glad to be able to come back to Kapalua and play.
“I guess the thing is to get in the Sentry Tournament of Champions every year this is a good place to win every year to get yourself back in the tournament. So I like where I stand, I’m pumped about the weekend and ready for the challenge.”
Adam Scott Begins 2021 In Impressive Fashion
Scott enjoying his opening round today – photo Getty Images Cliff Hawkins
Adam Scott has made an impressive start to his 2021 golfing year with an opening round of 5 under par 68 at the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua on Maui in Hawaii.
Scott finds himself in a share of 9th place and three shots behind joint first round leaders, Harris English and defending champion Justin Thomas who opened with rounds of 65.
Scott’s bogey free round of 68 over the par 73 layout at the Plantation Course and was delighted with the manner in which he hit the ball.
“I think probably the best I’ve hit it in about four years for one round of golf,” said Scott. “So that’s good. I’ve been obviously always working on it, but kind of started feeling it there at Houston and the Masters and managed to keep in the practice something going in the right direction, so it was nice to see that on the course today.
“I kind of need to get it going. I had a pretty light campaign generally last year, like really light and really average too after COVID. We returned from the break and the Australian tournaments were cancelled, so that gave me the break at the end of the year that I don’t normally get and I was very excited to be coming back here.
“I love coming and playing over here, it’s been a while, and a good way for me to kind of kick start my FedExCup run. And I’ll play next week and Farmers as well and hopefully keep striking it like this and get a few putts to drop and I’ll be in good shape.”
Like Scott, Marc Leishman was bogey free and finished the day at 4 under 69. It was an encouraging start to the year for Leishman who failed to record one top ten in any of his last 14 starts on the PGA Tour.
Cameron Smith was off to a good start to back up some stunning end of 2020 form but a double bogey late in his round when making a mess of the par five 15th proved costly. He was able to recover with a birdie from 15 feet at the last and at 3 under 70 it was a solid, if perhaps disappointing, start.
Three Australians Start 2021 at Tournament of Champions
Adam Scott plays Kapalua for the 7th occasion.
Three Australians won on the PGA Tour in 2020 and all three will take their place in the field for an event which offers winners the chance to test their games and readiness so early in the New Year.
In 2021 eligibility has been extended as a result of Covid 19 issues and the field expanded as a result, with not every player in the field a winner, additional players being added from world ranking and FedEx Cup tables.
The Sentry Tournament of Champions brings together 42 of the 45 players eligible, only Rory McIlroy, Jim Herman and Tyrell Hatton not playing, despite being eligible.
Adam Scott, Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman have earned the right to tee it up at the Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort, Scott making his 7th appearance although he has been eligible on several other occasions, choosing instead to extend his end of season break instead in those instances.
Scott has slipped outside the top 20 in the world ranking for the first occasion in 18 months but he played only nine events in 2020, making the cut in eight and winning one when successful at the Genesis Invitational in his first start in 2020.
Scott enjoys a good record at this venue recording four top tens in six previous starts including a runner-up finish in 2007.
“It’s nice to be back,” said Scott when asked about being back at the event. “It has been an event I’ve loved coming to for so many years. But then for awhile it was a tricky one to get back to and every time I missed it, I regretted it, but it was off the back of playing in Australia and it being the first week of the year made it a very short holiday season for me.
“So once I won in Genesis last year, though, it was definitely a priority for me to put this event on the schedule. It’s a great way to start the year. Even under these circumstances it’s nice to be here. And for me, at this moment, I need to kind of start putting some good results on the board and get my FedExCup campaign going a bit.”
Cameron Smith gets to play the event for the second time having finished 17th here on debut in 2018. This time he gets to play the event courtesy of his stand alone win at the Sony last year and in his most recent starts he has been particularly impressive having finished runner-up at the Masters and 4th at the Zozo Championship. If he could find a way to replicate either of those two efforts, then his chances of victory appear reasonable.
Cameron Smith – can he continue his current form? – file photo Bruce Young
Marc Leishman had a horror run for much of 2020 after winning the Torrey Pines event early in the year and finishing runner-up at the Arnold Palmer Championship just a few weeks later.
Leishman finished 4th in this event in his last start at Kapalua and will play the event for the 3rd occasion. He was also 7th in 2018 but his most recent form is a long way from that we know the Victorian capable of.
March Leishman – on a previous visit to the event – Getty Images
Tournament favourite is the two time winner, Dustin Johnson, who not only brings the world number one title to the event but outstanding form including his last start victory at the Masters.
Johnson has been only once outside the top 3 in his last seven starts so the combination of his record at the venue and his stunning form at present leaves him the warmest of favourites to win his third Tournament of Champions title.
Hannah Green Finishes 2020 in Style
Hannah Green – file photo – Bruce Young
Perth’s Hannah Green has saved her best to last in 2020, a final round of 67 allowing her to finish in a share of second place at the CME Group Tour Championship in Naples in Florida and, in doing so, earns a cheque for US$209,000.
Adding to the celebration of the day was that it was Green’s 24th birthday so she heads back to her homeland this week in good spirits after a very disjointed year.
Green did not play a tournament between February and August and in the events since her return in August she has been below her best although there had been signs of the work she had been doing during the year was taking effect.
“Yeah, felt like I did some good work through quarantine with my coach,” said Green. “Gained some distance, so that really was nice to actually come out and see it in a tournament.”
It was Green’s 14th start of the 2020 LPGA Tour season and just her first top ten in that time but the manner in which she contended against such a strong field augurs well for her return to tournament golf in March.
Green has made the decision to return to Australia on Tuesday, although she must face two week quarantine period before seeing her family and friends she feels the need to spend time with and recharge the batteries. It is a decision which will mean missing the season opening Tournament of Champions in late January.
“Unfortunately, I’m not playing the Tournament of Champions. I’ve decided to stay in Australia because I haven’t been there since August. I felt like pretty much two weeks wasn’t going to be enough time at home.
“So I will be returning for Kia Classic in March. I’m super excited to get back. I’m leaving on Tuesday, arriving to Australia on Thursday, so I’ll be there for just under three months.
“I wish there was an event next week because I finally do feel like everything is coming together, but then again, I do want to get back to Australia.
“Best finish all year. First time broken the top 10. Super excited. It’s nice to finish on a high and be able to go home and eventually celebrate.”
Green finished five shots behind the runaway winner and world number one, Jin Young Ko. Ko has spent most of her year in South Korea, but she has continued to play well all the same recording four top tens in six starts there.
Hannah Green this week – photo Getty Images Michael Reeve
Today, Ko won US$1.1 million a massive $900,000 more then the joint runners-up.
Because of her time away from the LPGA Tour this year she was under pressure to make the field for this week’s event until a fine runner-up finish at recent US Women’s Open. As a result of her win today Ko has extended her world ranking lead over Sei Young Kim who finished joint runner-up with Green this week.
New Zealander Lydia Ko continued her recent improvement to finish in a share of 5th place, Minjee Lee struggled to a final round of 74 but still finished tied for 13th, Katherine Kirk was 23rd and Sarah Kemp 53rd.
Minjee Lee finishes the season as the leading Australasian in the world rankings in 8th place with Lydia Ko the next best in around 30th place.
The five shot winner Jin Young Ko
Hannah Green Finds Late Season Form in Florida
Hannah Green – file photo Bruce Young
By her own now high standards, 2020 has to date been a quiet year for West Australian, Hannah Green, but it might be that the final event of the year provides not only her first top ten in 14 starts this season but something considerably better.
Green finds herself just two shots from the 36-hole leader, Jin Young Ko, at the CME Group Tour Championship in Naples in Florida and in outright 4th place.
Green added a second round of 68 to her opening 69 and it may just be that her pending trip home to Australia and necessary quarantine when she gets there might be made more enjoyable if accompanied by a third LPGA Tour trophy.
“I’m leaving on Tuesday,” said Green. “I’ve got about a 40, 45-hour journey to get back to Perth, and then as soon as I got there I’m in a hotel for two weeks and not by choice.
“Once I leave the airport I get shuttled to a hotel and pretty much have to do 13 nights, 14 days, and then I can go out and be back at home and live a normal life.
“So I’ve heard a lot of stories. Some people have really struggled and some people don’t mind it. I think because it’s at the end of the year after a short but long year, that I’ll mainly be doing a lot of sleep and Netflix.
“So hopefully the food is good and my parents can bring me some things to entertain myself.”
“I feel like I’m hitting a lot of fairways and greens, which is really important here. Also when miss-hitting it, it’s very easy to miss greens here, so making sure you don’t short-side yourself and leave yourself in the best possible place to make up and downs.
“I think I’ve done a great job with that. Over the last couple weeks it’s been a struggle dealing with the cold. I’m not used to those temperatures, so it’s nice to come here and be able to just wear one layer and feel where your swing is.
“I’m really excited. Only two more rounds left for the season. Sounds really crazy, but I’m super excited.”
Green trails the world number one, Jin Young Ko, with Sei Young Kim and Lexi Thompson tied for second so the task ahead is tough one, but she is nicely placed heading into the weekend.
New Zealand’s Lydia Ko put together the best round of the day (65) to recover from her slow start to the event and has moved within four of the lead. Ko is tied for 11th. Ko talked after her round of the things she is addressing with her game along with recently appointed coach, Sean Foley.
“I think when I’m out there I’m really thinking about the technical standpoint. I think sometimes to be honest the thing that gets in my way is myself, of me feeling like, Okay, is this going to go straight, left, right, you know, all those weird thoughts that go through your head.
“That’s why Sean has been helpful in that kind of standpoint as well, trying to build me confidence. He sends me some songs randomly throughout the week and he gets me to listen to them as well.
“I think obviously the more I see it doing what I think it should be doing, the confidence kind of builds and the negative, I guess experiences, before are kind of slowly going away.”
“I think it’s like a building process, but I’m definitely out there not thinking too much about the technical thing. I think it’s more about being out there just believing in had myself and hitting it as confidently as I could.”
Katherine Kirk is the next best of the Australians in 13th place and five from the lead and suggested later that, despite playing well of late, she arrived in Naples with little expectation after a tough week at last week’s US Women’s Open.
“Last week kind of beat me up, so I didn’t expect much coming in this week, to be honest,” said the Queenslander.
“I knew I was hitting it okay, but perhaps not as well as other weeks during the last few months. I would say the confidence was okay but it certainly wasn’t at its high.
“But I’m thankful this week my putting is cooperating a little bit more than last week, so I’m happy about that.”
Minjee Lee is another shot behind Kirk, with Sarah Kemp at 1 over and ten from the lead.
Sarah Kemp Gains Surprise Start At Tour Championship
A great opportunity for Sarah Kemp – file photo Bruce Young
A horror year for international golf finally comes to an end this weekend when the final event of the LPGA Tour season is completed at the CME Group Tour Championship at the Tiburon Golf Club in Naples in Florida.
The US3 million event has attracted a field of 72, four of them Australians along with New Zealander Lydia Ko who is playing an event she won in 2014 after a playoff. The leading 70 players for the season make the field and in a strange twist for such a significant event two sponsors invites make up the field.
In a pleasant surprise for Australians, Sarah Kemp has gained a start in the event, being included as one of the two invitations along with Natalie Gulbis. Kemp has a commercial arrangement with the CME Group but the inclusion of she and Gulbis is somewhat of a surprise despite the rights of a tournament sponsor to invite who they like.
It is, though, a great opportunity for Kemp who has just $US43,000 to her name for the season and who has made just five cuts in the 13 events she has played on the LPGA Tour in 2020. It will be the first time Kemp has played the event.
Minjee Lee, Katherine Kirk and Hannah Green are the other Australians in the field and will be joined by their trans-Tasman colleague Ko.
Lee has a less than impressive record in the event having recorded just the one top ten (7th) on debut in 2015. Green has been no better than 48th in her two appearances and Kirk’s best was when 18th last year.
A Lim Kim Provides Korea’s 11th US Women’s Open Winner
Photo USGA Robert Beck
South Korea has unearthed yet another golfing superstar with the success of A Lim Kim in today’s final round of the US Women’s Open at the Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas.
Kim’s final round of 67, which included birdies at her final three holes, saw her finish one shot clear of joint runners-up and first round leader, Amy Olson and the current world number one, Jin Young Ko.
Kim moved into the lead with an outward nine of 33 but bogeys at her 10th and 11th holes appeared to derail her chances of victory on debut in the female game’s most significant female event.
She would, though, close strongly and when she holed a curling left to right 12-footer at the last she had the lead and set the target for those playing in the groups behind.
Kim secures the last of three consecutive birdies to set the mark – photo USGA Robert Beck
Olson was then only one behind but a bogey at the 16th would mean a birdie, birdie finish was required for her to catch Kim. She made a great par save from the bunker at the 17th and birdied the 18th but fell one short.
So too did Ko but her round of 68 was the second best of the day behind the winner and continued an impressive recovery from her opening round of 73.
54 hole leader, Hinako Shibuno finished alone in 4th position, all four players the only golfers to finish the week under par on the demanding Crystal Creek layout at the Champions Club.
Kim was tied for ninth place entering the final round, making this the largest 54-hole comeback to win, by position, in U.S. Women’s Open history.
Kim is the fifth player in U.S. Women’s Open history to win in her debut, and the first since In Gee Chun in 2015. Even more incredible is that this was her first-ever start in any professional major championship.
When asked as to her mindset ahead of today’s round Kim responded: “To be honest, it was a little bit disappointing the third round on Saturday so I decided to come out today and try to be the aggressive player that I was, try to attack the pin, and it actually worked out today.”
Kim, who possesses an outstanding golf swing, becomes the 11th Korean woman to win the Women’s US Open, a run that started with Se Ri Kim’s trailblazing effort back in 1998 and clearly her feat will take time to sink in for the 25 year old.
“Can’t really describe it in words. I never expected that I was going to appear in the U.S. Women’s Open. I still can’t feel what it’s like right now, but I’ll probably feel it when the ceremony and everything wraps up today.”
Her victory was made all the more meritorious given its was her first time in the event and that she had never been exposed to Bermuda grass previously.
“Back in Korea there’s no Bermudagrass, so for me it was really — it took some time for me to get used to Bermudagrass, especially hitting the irons off the grass. You really need some kind of skill, different style of swing
in order to hit the ball out of the Bermudagrass.
“But love this golf course, love this environment. I even said earlier I want to actually put a tent up here and stay a
few more days.”
Kim has won twice on the Korean LPGA Tour and is not yet a member of the LPGA Tour although this might potentially change that. She arrived in the US for her debut in this event having recorded top tens in each of her last four starts in her homeland.
Another impressive week for Gabi Ruffels – photo USGA Chris Keane
The Australasian challenge was headed by 20 year old amateur Gabi Ruffels and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, the pair sharing 13th, Ruffels continuing to build towards what must now be considered a considerable professional career.
Ruffels’ round of 70 was the third best of the day and was highlighted by a massive six birdies.
“I guess I was pretty in the moment, I didn’t even realize I had six birdies,” said Ruffels. “But, yeah, I played pretty well today, I was really, really happy with the round. It was definitely one of the tougher days, conditions-wise, especially this morning it was pretty cold, warmed up a little bit.”
“It’s been awesome,” added Ruffels when asked her thoughts on the week. “I think I might have come top-15, still not sure yet, still a lot of golf out there, but it was awesome, so much fun.
“I feel like any time I can kind of mix it with the pros and know that I can compete against them it’s a great week. I feel like I did that this week and just gained a lot of confidence.”
For Ko it was a day of disappointment given her standing through 36 holes. Her round of 76 saw her slip from 5th to 13th place and while one of her better finishes in this particular event it was a day of what might have been. Ko recorded five bogeys and no birdies.
Hannah Green finished 40th, Minjee Lee 46th and Su Oh last of those who made the cut following her final horror round of 81.
A disappointing day for Lydia Ko – photo Simon Bruty USGA
US Women’s Open to be decided on Monday
The dismal scene at the Champions Golf Club this morning – photo USGA Jeff Haynes
The final round of the 2020 US Women’s Open at the Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas, has been delayed 24 hours following the suspension of play due to course conditions and the prospect of inclement and dangerous weather on Sunday afternoon.
“We want to ensure course conditions are worthy of crowning a major champion,” said John Bodenhamer, the USGA’s Senior Managing Director, Championships.
Despite tee times being brought forward in anticipation of the approaching weather, the deluge the course had suffered overnight, along with the prospect of further downpours would mean that 18 players had still to even start their rounds when play was initially called at 9.10am local time.
20 millimetres fell in the 24 hours preceding the decision and combined with the approaching weather, it left officials with no option other than to abandon play for the day.
Of those who had made a start to play, Australian Gabi Ruffels was doing best, the amateur 2 under through five holes, a run that had included three birdies. Julius has improved into 25th position at 4 over.
Play will resume at 9 a.m. ET (8 a.m. local time) on Monday, Dec. 13.
Gabi Julius made a nice start in the bleak conditions today – photo Chris Keane USGA
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