By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Allisen Corpuz credited her Filipino father on Sunday, July 9 (Monday in Manila) after capturing the 78th US Women’s Open in dramatic fashion at Pebble Beach.
“I started (golf) when I was four, five years old. My parents actually live on Kapolei golf course – on the left side… So yeah, my dad has always been a really big golf fan and just got us into it really young,” Corpuz said.
The 25-year-old from Honolulu finished 72 holes on 9-under 279 to defeat England’s Charley Hull, who fired a final-round 66, and South Korean Shin Ji-yai, who shot 68.
It was her first LPGA victory, while also becoming the first American in 20 years to capture the crown.
“Unreal. This week has just felt like a dream come true. It has been just awesome to be out at Pebble this week,” Corpuz told AFP.
Born and raised in Hawaii, Corpuz’s father Marcos traces his roots to Ilocos Norte, while her mother, May, is of Korean ancestry.
Corpuz had shared a major lead at the Chevron Championship earlier this year before settling for fourth, a hint of the promise she made at the iconic California seaside course.
She was the only player to crack par in all four rounds, scoring 69, 70, 71 and 69 on her way to pocketing a whopping $2 million cash purse (around P111.2 million)
“I’ve played a little conservatively in the past and just went out there and told myself I had the game to do it today,” Corpuz said. “Little nervous at times but pretty comfortable.”
A turning point came at the par-3 12th when leader Corpuz blasted out of a bunker and made a 16-foot par putt while Hataoka missed a five-foot par putt moments later to fall two adrift of the American.
Hull sank a 30-foot birdie putt at the par-5 16th to pull within two on 6-under with Hataoka making bogey at 14 to fall back.
Corpuz responded moments later by sinking a seven-foot birdie putt at the par-5 14th and when she added another from four feet at 15, she reached 10-under and surged ahead of Hull by four shots.
Corpuz had a bogey at the par-3 17th but still finished as the only player to crack par in all four rounds.
