Weekend Charge Propels Park to First Major Triumph

From the USGA Website

U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN

July 16, 2017 | BEDMINSTER, N.J. By Ron Driscoll, USGA

After a close call in last year's U.S. Women's Open, 23-year-old Sung Hyun Park displayed poise down the stretch to capture the ultimate prize. (USGA/Chris Kean

Charley Hull finished as the leading British or Irish player.
She tied for 21st place on 288 with rounds of 72, 70, 73 and 73.
She earned $51,931.

Catriona Matthew tied for 44th place with scores of 72, 71, 79 and 72 for 294.
The Scot earned $19,295.

When Sung Hyun Park found herself behind the green on the 18th hole on Sunday, with a testing chip shot and an opportunity to win the 72nd U.S. Women’s Open in the balance, she admitted that her mind went blank.
The 23-year-old from the Republic of Korea had led this championship a year ago through 36 holes at CordeValle, but this time around at Trump National Golf Club in her second attempt, Park was the pursuer. She had improved her score every day, and finally took the solo lead from Shanshan Feng and amateur Hye-Jin Choi on the 16th hole of the final day.
Now, leading by two on the grandest stage in women’s golf, Park had flown the green of the par-5 finishing hole with her third shot and left herself the delicate matter of negotiating a pitch shot that sloped downhill toward the lake that fronts the green.
“My mind basically went blank, but at that moment, I was telling myself I should just stick to how I usually practice,” said Park. “I think the repetition and practice that I carried out probably paid off. To be honest with you, I was actually surprised myself.”
She executed the bump-and-run to perfection, as it trickled to within 2 feet of the hole, virtually locking up her first major championship. Park would go on to win by two over amateur Hye-Jin Choi with an 11-under-par total of 277, while the solo leader through the first three days, Shanshan Feng, displayed just how difficult Park’s task on No. 18 had been. Feng also flew the green and, from a similar position to where Park had been, chunked the shot and ended with a closing triple bogey, dropping her into a tie for fifth place, five strokes back with a final-round 75.
Park completed 72 holes with rounds of 73-70-67-67, having trailed Feng by seven strokes at the midway point, in a tie for 21st place. She made up four of those strokes on Saturday, and by the eighth hole on Sunday, she had passed Feng. Surprisingly, so had the amateur Choi, and both Park and Choi birdied the par-5 15th hole to get to 10 under par, one stroke ahead of Feng.
The tipping point of the stretch duel came on the 139-yard, par-3 16th hole, where Park hit safely over the pond, 28 feet to the left of the hole, and made a comfortable two-putt par. Playing with Feng in the final group, Choi hit into the water to the right of the green, and failed to save bogey from 16 feet after hitting from the drop zone, putting Park up by two strokes.
“When I had a birdie at the 15th hole, I thought that I may have a chance,” said Choi, who hit a 7-iron from the 16th tee that never had a chance of hitting the green. “At the time I felt that all this hard work I put together was going to disappear, so I was bit disappointed, but I had to refocus back to the remaining two holes.”

Choi birdied her final hole to record the lowest 72-hole score by an amateur in championship history (279, four better than Grace Park in 1999), and she became the first amateur to post a runner-up finish since Brittany Lang and Morgan Pressel were co-runners-up in 2005. Having seized the advantage, Park showed why she was the dominant player on the Korean LPGA Tour in 2016, with seven victories, earning the nickname “Dak Gong,” loosely translated as “shut up and attack.” Park birdied the par-4 17th – one of just four birdies on the hole that played second-toughest for the day – leaving herself a cushion as she took on the potential pitfalls of the watery 18th.
Having hit into the water on the 72nd hole to miss the playoff by two strokes in 2016 at CordeValle (when Lang defeated Anna Nordqvist), Park relied on her caddie, David Jones, to keep her mind focused.
“One of the most difficult things is to keep that concentration level up because I know firsthand that once you lose it, your play is going to just go sideways,” said Park, who joined the LPGA Tour full-time this year and had four top-10 finishes. “Particularly today, I think my caddie had a great role of helping me stay focused. Whenever I was slightly shaken, he would put me back by saying small jokes or assuring me or pep talk.”
Feng hung on gamely through much of the day, but the solo leader through the first three rounds made only two birdies on the weekend – just one of the 62 players who made the 36-hole cut made fewer.
“Well, actually I think I should be happy about my result because coming into this week I had no expectations at all,” said Feng, of the People’s Republic of China. “My last three U.S. Opens, I think I missed two cuts and last year I just made the cut [T-38] so actually this year is such an improvement.”
Eight of the top 10 finishers were Koreans, including 2011 champion So Yeon Ryu (closing 70) and Mi Jung Hur (69), who tied for third place, four strokes behind Park at 7-under 281. Amy Yang, who was tied for second starting the day and has been a fixture in the U.S. Women’s Open with five top fives in the past seven years, faded to a tie for eighth place after a closing 3-over 75. Feng was joined by Carlota Ciganda, of Spain, and Jeongeun6 Lee, of Korea, in the tie for fifth at 282.
Park becomes the 11th champion in the last 12 (all except Inbee Park in 2013) to make the U.S. Women’s Open her first major-championship win. Afterward, she tried to make sense of it.
“I almost feel like I’m floating on a cloud in the sky,” said Park. “Of course, I did have many winnings in other tournaments, but winning here at the U.S. Open means so much more and for that I am grateful and extremely happy.”
It took an embrace with her mother, Keum Ja Lee, to make it real.
“Up until the moment that I saw my mother, I really couldn’t feel that it was really happening,” said Park. “She stood right in front of me and said, I am so proud of you, Sung Hyun. At the moment it really dawned onto me, I guess I really won the championship.”
She really did.

Ron Driscoll is the manager of editorial services for the USGA. Email him at rdriscoll@usga.org.

Leaderboard

FORMER USGA PRESIDENT JUDY BELL HONOURED WITH BOB JONES AWARD

PITTSBURGH – Judy Bell, the first female president of the United States Golf Association and a beloved member of the golf community, received the Bob Jones Award – the USGA’s highest honour –on Tuesday evening at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh. 

Bell’s selection represents the latest accolade in a long and distinguished life in golf that has spanned more than six decades.

“It is simply a humbling experience to be selected for this honor,” Bell said. “When I first started with the game at seven years old, I never could have imagined it would lead to all of this or open so many doors. That’s why I’ve always been so committed to making sure others had the same opportunities I had. This is a wonderful sport, and it should be enjoyed by all.”

Presented annually since 1955, the award recognizes the principles that Jones – a winner of nine USGA championships –demonstrated throughout his life: spirit, personal character and respect for the game. 

Bell, who served as USGA president in 1996 and 1997, used her platform to push for more youth and diversity programs, introducing more people to the game. She established the “For the Good of the Game” grants program, which dedicated more than $65 million to local and national initiatives devoted to improving communities through golf. She was also instrumental in the USGA Foundation’s leadership and fellowship program, which helped showcase viable careers in golf.

“The stars must have been aligned for the two female presidents to be on the stage together,” said Diana Murphy, USGA president. “Judy is an inspiration to so many and my opportunity to serve in this role is living proof of her great work and encouragement.  

"Throughout her life, Judy’s tireless efforts to bring more people into the game have brought about so many beginner programs, stronger golf communities and smarter golf leaders. That is an incredible legacy.”

Bell competed in 38 USGA championships and was a member of the victorious 1960 and 1962 United States Curtis Cup Teams. She also advanced to the U.S. Women’s Amateur quarterfinals three times and to the semi-final round of the 1950 U.S. Girls’ Junior. She captained the USA Curtis Cup Teams in 1986 and 1988. Bell was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2001.

A native of Wichita, Kansas, Bell joins some of the game’s seminal figures in winning the Jones Award, including: Francis Ouimet (1955), Babe Didrikson Zaharias (1957), Arnold Palmer (1971), Jack Nicklaus (1975), President George H.W. Bush (2008), Annika Sorenstam (2012) and Payne Stewart (2014). 

Brooks-Gillman lead with a 65 after first round of  U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship

By CHRISTINA LANCE

BOWLING GREEN, Florida  – Battling a stiff afternoon wind, Sierra Brooks, 17, of Orlando and Kristen Gillman, 17, of Austin, Texas, shot a blistering 7-under 65 to sit atop the leaderboard following the first round of stroke play in the 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship over the 6,216yd, par-72 Streamsong Blue at Streamsong Resort.

Three sides are one stroke behind at 6-under 66: Florida natives and 2015 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball medalists Kendall Griffin and Athena Yang; Pauline Del Rosario and 2014 U.S. Girls’ Junior champion Princess Mary Superal, both of the Philippines; and Evelyn Arguelles and Isabella Fierro, both of Mexico.

The 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship consists of 36 holes of stroke play followed by five rounds of match play. The championship is scheduled to conclude with an 18-hole final on Wednesday, May 25.

.FIRST-ROUND LEADERBOARD65 Sierra Brooks, Orlando, Fla. and Kristen Gillman, Austin, Texas
66 Pauline De Rosario, Philippines and Princess Mary Superal, Philippines 33-33
66 Kendall Griffin, Sebring, Fla. and  Athena Yang, Winter Haven, Fla. 33-33
66 Evelyn Arguelles, Mexico and  Isabella Fierro, Mexico 33-33
67 Janelle Johnson, Royal Palm Beach, Fla. & Nichada Satasuk, Thailand 34-33

67 Hannah Leiner, Pompano Beach, Fla. & Latanna Stone, Riverview, Fla. 35-32

67 Ellen Secor, Portland, Ore. & Jessica Sloot, Salt Lake City, Utah 34-33

67 Ashley Fitzgibbons, Seattle, Wash. & Maya Walton, Austin, Texas 35-32

68 Xinying Wang, Ppls Repl. Of China & Katherine Zhu, San Jose, Calif. 33-35

68 Yu Chiang Hou, Chinese Taipei & Yu Sang Hou, Chinese Taipei 35-33

68 Halley Morell, Cleveland, Ohio & Danielle Nicholson, Geneva, Ohio 35-33

68 Meghan Stasi, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. & Dawn Woodard, Greenville, S.C. 34-34

67 Madelein Herr, New Hope, Pa. & Brynn Walker, St. Davids, Pa. 32-36

USGA to honour Judy Bell with 2016 Bob   Jones Award

FAR HILLS, New Jersey – The United States Golf Association (USGA) will bestow its highest honour, the Bob Jones Award, to Judy Bell, of Colorado Springs, at an award ceremony on June 14,  during the week of the 116th U.S. Open Championship at Oakmont Country Club.

Presented annually since 1955, the Bob Jones Award recognizes an individual who demonstrates the spirit, personal character and respect for the game exhibited by Jones, winner of nine USGA championships.

Known for her generous spirit and larger-than-life personality, Bell, a native of Wichita, Kansas., has championed a welcoming and accessible game as one of its most prominent ambassadors for more than six decades.

“Judy is a towering presence in golf and her contributions to shaping the USGA can be seen to this day,” said Tom O’Toole Jr., president of the USGA.
“Her devotion to the game makes her a worthy recipient of our organization’s most prestigious honour. From her earliest days as an accomplished player through her tenure as USGA president, Judy has been a staunch advocate and diplomat for the game.
"Those mantles were always delivered with her unique kindness and infectious personality. Judy is a real treasure!”

The youngest of four children and the only girl, Bell largely credits her mother’s tenacious, straightforward and generous personality, as well as her can-do attitude as her strongest influences.
The USGA’s first female president (1996-1997), Bell possesses a passion for women’s and girl’s golf that continues today, particularly through the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf program, which she helped found.

     Judy Bell ... " a towering influence in USA amateur golf"
                      Picture by courtesy of the USGA

COUNTRY CLUB OF CHARLESTON TO HOST 2019 U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN

USGA NEWS RELEASE

FAR HILLS, New Jersey – The United States Golf Association has selected the Country Club of Charleston in South Carolina to host the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open Championship, to be conducted May 30-June 2.

This will be the second USGA championship conducted at the Country Club of Charleston. The club previously hosted the 2013 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, won by Emma Talley, 2 and 1, over Yueer Cindy Feng.

“We are thrilled to bring the 74th U.S. Women’s Open to the Country Club of Charleston after it served as such a superb venue for the 2013 U.S. Women’s Amateur,” said Diana Murphy, USGA vice president and Championship Committee chairman. 

“The U.S. Women’s Open is the most sought-after title in women’s golf, and we are confident the course will test the players thoroughly as they compete for the honour of hoisting the Harton S Semple Trophy in 2019.”

Judy Bell applauds Diana Murphy’s nomination as USGA president

                                        DIANA MURPHY ... "She will be terrific," says Judy Bell

FROM GOLFWEEK.COM
By Adam Schupak

Judy Bell says she often gets asked why she’s the only female to have served as president of the U.S. Golf Association.
“That question is going to go away, which is going to be neat,” Bell said by phone Monday.
The USGA announced Monday the nomination of vice-president Diana Murphy to serve a one-year term as the 64th president of the association. If elected in February, Murphy, of St. Simons Island, Georgia, would follow in the footsteps of Bell, who held the position in 1996-97.
But Bell said she isn’t surprised it has taken two decades for another female to ascend to the USGA’s top spot.
“The wheel turns slowly,” Bell said. “To get the right person is important, and she certainly is. You’ve read her resume, haven’t you?”
Murphy, 59, has been formally associated with the USGA since 1996. She is in her fifth year as a member of the USGA Executive Committee. She chairs the championship and compensation committees and serves on the audit and corporate partners committees.
Professionally, Murphy is the managing director of a private-equity firm focused on small business and real estate in the south-east of America. She also is managing director of the Georgia Research Alliance Venture Fund, which supports the state’s public and private research universities. She had been a senior vice president of The Baltimore Sun Co. for 15 years.
Murphy’s nomination follows the election of Suzy Whaley to the PGA of America’s board of directors, which puts her in line to become the PGA's first female president. In recent years, women have been admitted as members at Augusta National Golf Club and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews.
“It’s progress,” Bell said. “We’re golfers too and we love the game, so it’s very appropriate.”
Of Murphy, Bell said, “She’ll be terrific. She’ll be perhaps the best USGA president ever.”
Even better than Murphy's husband, Reg, who served as president in 1995?
“Well, I learned a lot from Reg. I served as vice president under him, but she has a good chance to be one of the best presidents we’ve ever had.”
The election of officers and the 15-member USGA Executive Committee will take place February 6, 2016, at the USGA’s annual meeting at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego.

MARGARET SHIRLEY WINS US WOMEN'S MID-AM TITLE

By Christina Lance, USGA

NOBLESVILLE, Indiana– Stroke-play medalist Margaret Shirley never trailed en route to a 5-and-3 win over defending champion Julia Potter in the 2014 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, conducted at the 6,117-yard, par-72 Harbour Trees Golf Club.
“It just doesn't feel real right now,” said Shirley, who was runner-up to Potter in 2013. “It's obviously the pinnacle of our sport, a USGA championship, and to be able to say I'm a USGA champion now is incredible.” 
“I was going to need birdies to beat her,” said Potter, who was trying to become just the fourth back-to-back Women’s Mid-Amateur champion. 
“I just wasn't knocking them close enough or really sinking putts to be able to put any pressure on her. She played an amazing front nine, an amazing round and she's much deserving of this championship.”
Shirley, 28, of Atlanta, joins Carol Semple Thompson (1997), Ellen Port (2000) and Potter (2013) as the only stroke-play medalists (leading match-play qualifiers) to take the championship title.
In the semi-finals, Shirley cruised to a 5-and-4 win over four-time champion Meghan Stasi, while Potter took a 2-and-1 victory over Tara Joy-Connelly. Shirley receives a 10-year Women’s Mid-Amateur exemption, as well as a two-year exemption into the U.S. Women’s Amateur. Potter receives three-year and one-year exemptions, respectively, but was already exempt due to her 2013 victory.
The U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur is one of 13 national championships conducted annually is open to female amateur golfers who are at least 25 years of age.
.
Results
SEMI-FINALSMargaret Shirley, Atlanta, Ga. (142) def. Meghan Stasi, Oakland Park, Fla. (151), 5 and 4 
Julia Potter, Granger, Ind. (144) def. Tara Joy-Connelly, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (152), 2 and 1
FINAL
Shirley bt Potter 5 and 3.