One moment, Lydia Ko was cruising along like the steady, unflappable No. 1 player in the world.
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Park had four birdies in a six-hole span to move to 9-under before struggling on the final two holes. Brittany Lang and Amy Yang are two shots back at 5 under and Angela Stanford is in sixth place at 4 under at CordeValle.
U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson withdrew from the Rio Games because of concerns over the Zika virus, costing golf three of the world’s top four players for its return to the Olympics after a 112-year absence.
“It was tough to even get back in position”, said Ko.
“It’s always good to end up with a birdie”, Ko concluded.
Anna Hack’s dream run to the U.S. Women’s Open in all likelihood ended Friday by missing the cut. “Just like yesterday and today, not going to think much”, Yang, 26, said. Obviously you’ve got to be able to control it. That’s why I am just more comfortable; don’t even think about the winning, I just enjoy the play.
She had to make a birdie on the second playoff hole to stay alive and then eliminated Shculdt with a par on the third playoff hole to clinch the second qualifying spot. She won the Evian Championship last September to become the youngest woman ever to win a major and followed that up with her second at the ANA Inspiration this year.
“I’ll take any shot advantage I can, because there is still a lot of golf to be played”, Ko said. “You never know what’s going to happen”.
Ji is the only player at or near the top of the leaderboard who has won the U.S. Women’s Open, capturing the title in 2009. She tied for 39th that year, and as far as anyone can tell, hasn’t been shaken since.
And there was Ko who drove down the middle, hit a tremendous lag putt to set up easy pars, got out of what little trouble she did get into and finished 1-under. She has only one other victory on the LPGA Tour in 10 seasons.
“If I think it’s getting too hard, everybody thinks it’s getting too hard, too”, said Nomura of Friday’s second-round course conditions. “I play, focus on my game and try to be patient out there”.
Yang had at least a share of the 54-hole lead in each of the last two U.S. Women’s Opens.
Ko missed a short birdie putt on the 71st hole at the Women’s PGA, a putt that would have salted away a third straight major title.
This time she will try to come from behind to win after shooting 73 in the third round.
“You don’t know what she’s really feeling under there”, Lang said of Ko. “I feel bad because I feel like it was my fault”. But I think when I look back it’s because it meant a lot.
Ko, Sung Hyun Park and Eun Hee Ji were put on the clock for slow play after that, and Park was given a slow-play warning leaving the 11th hole.
Her best result in four previous appearances at the US Women’s Open came a year ago when she was 12th. “I don’t think I’ve sweat (ed) that much in my life”.
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Lydia Ko has got all the shots, on and off the course, from curling in putts to cutting up with reporters, delivered with an ease that belies her age. She tied for second in 2005, fifth in 2010, seventh in 2013 and 14th in 2015. Among those who didn’t were Michelle Wie (5 over), retiring Se Ri Pak (5 over) and reigning champ Chun (6 over). “And so I keep trying to hit the fairway and the green, but I couldn’t”. I thought (9 a.m.) was such a good [tee] time. “I’m happy with the way I played today”.
