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Inbee Park fires 71 to take US Open crown

Taiwan’s Teresa Lu hits her second shot at the third hole during the final round of the US Women’s Open Championship at the Interlachen Country Club in Edina, Minnesota, on Sunday. PHOTO: AFP

South Korea’s Inbee Park fired a two-under 71 on Sunday to capture the US Women’s Open, becoming the youngest champion in the major championship’s history.

The 19-year-old Park started the day two shots adrift of the leader before rallying to finish at nine-under 283 for a four stroke victory.

“This is very special for me,” Park said. “In the 10 years I have been playing golf it finally happened.”

Sweden’s Helen Alfredsson shot a two-over 75 to finish second, while third round leader Stacy Lewis stumbled to a five-over 78. Lewis finished in a three-way tie for third with Brazil’s Angela Park (73) and South Korea’s Kim In-kyung (75).

Park shot under par in all four rounds and became the fifth first time winner on the LPGA Tour this year.

“Everything is happening so quickly for me. It is a little scary,” she said.

Park took the lead with birdies at the first two holes and was never caught as she carded a stellar round in strong winds at the Interlachen Country Club.

Park, who did not have a three-putt the entire championship, is the third South Korean to win the biggest title in women’s golf, joining Se Ri Pak (1998) and Kim Ju-yun (2005).

Park had no idea why her parents were up in the middle of the night to watch the 1998 Women’s Open on television at their home in Pundang, outside Seoul.

“I just woke up and was like ‘What are you guys doing?’ And they were like ‘we’re watching golf and Se Ri Pak is leading the tournament and she’s the first Korean if she wins,’” Park said. “I sat down there but I was half asleep. It was so big in [South] Korea and a lot of people picked up golf after that and I was one of them.”

She went to a local driving range two days later and progressed so rapidly that less than three years later, at the age of 12, she moved to the US to further her career.

A top junior talent before turning pro two years ago, she won the 2002 US girls’ junior championship and was a five-time junior All-American.

She finished 37th on the money list last year in her rookie season on the LPGA Tour.

Runner-up Alfredsson lauded the winner.

“She played fantastic and I was impressed by her composure. She’s going to win a lot more,” Alfredsson said.

Meanwhile, fellow Swede Annika Sorenstam bowed out in style in her final Open appearance before retiring at the end of the year.

She holed out with a six-iron from 200 yards for an unlikely eagle at the par-five 18th.

“My tank is empty,” said three-time Open champion Sorenstam.
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