On paper, Ko has by far the best resume of those at the top of the leader board.
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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.
But Ko got into contention with a 66 in the second round and then took sole possession of the lead on the final hole Saturday.
As for Ko, who has two major victories but is looking for her first U.S. Open triumph, she didn’t even want to talk about possibly winning the tournament at the midway stage.
Her odds would figure to be very good. She added bogeys on 9, 11 and 17 and sits at 1-over for the tournament, nine strokes off the lead. Maybe, but they’ll likely have to duplicate what they did in the third round, and in some cases, better.
When Sung Hyun Park entered her first U.S. Women’s Open, her goals were modest. Once again showing uncanny maturity for someone so young, she reverted to the kind of conservative play mode that works well on the weekend at a USGA event when par is your friend.
Ko is seeking to become youngest victor of the tournament, at age 19. “I’m not as shocked to be in this position”, said the 35-year-old, who is in a position to represent Canada at the Olympics in Rio next month.
Anna Hack’s dream run to the U.S. Women’s Open in all likelihood ended Friday by missing the cut. “I said, ‘Oh, man.’ And then I was kind of walking a little bit and then I saw the ball drop”. You need to stay calm. “She does a better job controlling them”. In fact, on vacation in her native South Korea last December, Ko did stay up nearly all night attending with her sister and friends a Psy concert.
“I’ll take any shot advantage I can, because there is still a lot of golf to be played”, Ko said. “If I think that way, I won’t get too carried away with what position I am at certain parts of the final day”. “I saved some good up-and-downs”. You’re ready. It means a lot to you. You’ve got to like her chances. “Every time I play a major I’m always learning from that, and experience is huge”. “It would be a tournament that I would love to win”.
Ko wasn’t phenomenal in the third round, simply steady.
The Kiwi then took sole possession of the lead late in the day when she hit a great approach shot with a wedge to eight feet at the par-five 18th, and converted the downhill birdie putt.
Ko got off to a shaky start with a bogey on the first hole before stringing together four straight birdies starting at No. 3.
“It just shows how much this championship means to me and means to the women’s game, and how important it is for any player and what a big honor it is to be holding the trophy at the end of Sunday”. Lydia Ko (ANA Inspiration) and Brooke Henderson (KPMG Women’s PGA) are both teenagers. I just say all I can do is try my best.
Amy Yang, of South Korea, waves after making a birdie putt on the sixth green during the third round of the U.S. Women’s Open golf tournament at CordeValle Saturday, July 9, 2016, in San Martin, Calif.
ENDICOTT, N.Y. – Paul Goydos shot a 6-under 66 on to forge a tie for the lead with John Riegger after two rounds of the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open.
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Given that track record, the other leading contenders didn’t expect Froome to make a move before Sunday’s stage to the ski resort of Andorre-Arcalis.
