While several USA challengers appear to have discovered what it takes to tame CordeValle Golf Club in order to win their national championship, they only have 18 holes to figure out a way to cool the jets of the 19-year-old dynamo Ko.
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Sharp putted well on Thursday, getting her round off to a good start with an eight-footer for par on the first hole.
“Coming to the tournament, I didn’t even think about winning because this is the first time for me”, she said of her maiden U.S. Women’s Open.
Her odds would figure to be very good. She hasn’t finished outside the top three in her last four major starts, winning at both the Evian Championship and ANA Inspiration.
She was tied on 139 with Japan’s Haru Nomura, who had four birdies in her 69. Maybe, but they’ll likely have to duplicate what they did in the third round, and in some cases, better.
“Actually, my caddie talks to me a lot when we have a hard shot or if we’re on the green”, she said.
Click the video above to see Ko’s clutch final putt.
“I thought I was going to shoot 5- or 6-under”, Lang said.
Park, a 22-year-old from South Korea, made her LPGA debut last year when she finished second at the KEB-HanaBank Championship in South Korea.
While all eyes will be on Ko on Sunday, she cautioned that plenty of players would be in with a chance. You need to stay calm.
“It was breezy from the morning so I knew it would play a lot tougher than yesterday”. “I definitely do get nervous, but I think that’s part of it. Nerves are good, actually”. To retain her status, she needs to move up inside the top 100 and with the biggest payday of the year at this event, a good final round could mean a lot. “I always felt like something was missing. So that kind of gave a little bit more of a momentum”.
Ko wasn’t phenomenal in the third round, simply steady.
So Yeon Ryu, the 2011 U.S. Open victor, shot a triple-bogey eight on her final hole at the ninth to fall from 4-under to 1-under. She preceded that with a run of three straight birdies that momentarily put her at 9-under for the tournament and ahead of Lee, who had yet to tee off.
Even if she can’t win, Sunday’s final round will be an important one for LeBlanc.
“I think age is just a number”, said Ko, “but experience is another thing”.
“I felt like I hit the ball really well today”, said LeBlanc, “better than the last two rounds”.
BLUFFTON, S.C. – Extreme heat turned into an extreme storm during the second round of the 17th annual Players Amateur on Berkeley Hall Golf Club’s South Course. “There’s not really anything better than doing that in the game that I love so just try to enjoy my day”.
“I nearly think my par on 14 was the more meaningful putt of the two”.
She carded a two-over par 74 to join Ji, who signed for a 70, on 210. Marissa Chow, who played at ‘Iolani and Pepperdine, shot a 75 to finish 11 over.
Lang birdied 14 and 15 and had the low round of the day at 68 to move to 5 under.
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In the end, the course played almost a stroke harder overall Friday, pushing the cut line to 4 over. par Among those who benefited were No. 2-ranked Brooke Henderson (3 over), No. 4 Lexi Thompson (3 over) and past victor Paula Creamer (4 over). The top American hopes at this stage are Danielle Kang and Jessica Korda, among four players at 4 under.
