SYLVANIA, Ohio (AP) — Five shots behind with six holes to play, Danielle Kang won her second straight LPGA Tour event on Sunday when Lydia Ko took double bogey on the final hole in the Marathon Classic. Kang began her rally with consecutive birdies on the 13th and 14th holes at Highland Meadows, and then all she needed were pars the rest of the way for a 3-under 68, all because of Ko's shocking collapse.
Ko was poised to end two years and 44 tournaments without a victory. She made bogey on the 14th hole, and with Kang's birdies, the lead suddenly was down to two. Ko dropped another shot on the 16th, and caught a break when Kang was in position for birdie on the par-5 17th and had to settle for par. But on the closing par 5, Ko fell apart. She hit her chip through the green. With a slightly uphill lie in patchy rough, Ko muffed the chip and watched it roll into a bunker. She blasted that out to 10 feet and missed the putt that would have forced a playoff.
She wound up with a 73. Jodi Ewart Shadoff, in contention for the second straight week but still without an LPGA victory, played bogey-free after the opening hole for a 67. She wound up in a tie for second with Ko. Ko reached No. 1 in the world as a teenager and now is outside the top 50. Her back had been troubling her all week, but this appeared to be more about nerves.
Kang finished at 15-under 269 in winning for the fifth time in her LPGA Tour career. The two-time U.S. Women's Amateur champion won last week when the LPGA Tour resumed its schedule at tough Inverness Club in nearby Toledo, site of next year's Solheim Cup.
Now, Kang is a back-to-back winner and has established herself as the top American player. Minjee Lee finished eagle-birdie for a 68 to finish alone in fourth. The LPGA Tour, which resumed after six months because of the pandemic, now heads to Scotland for two weeks for the Ladies Scottish Open and the Women's British Open.
|
2020.08.09 17:59
2020.08.09 18:04
It is conspicuously noted that LPGA, US Women Amateur Championship and
PGA Men's Championship were won by three Asian-Americans, Danielle Kang,
Korean-American, Rose Zhang, Chinese-American, and Collin Morikawa,
Japanese-American, all on the same day, today, all representing USA,
all against Caucasians and other nationals.
Interestingly all three are Californians. California is where
Asians experience least racial discrimination
in America and are respected politically and economically.
It does not appear to be a coincidence.
I will leave the meaning of this remarkable happening to everyone's wise interpretation.
2020.08.09 19:00
It was a surprise to see Ko loses after leading by 5 strokes. I didn't even watch it because
I was certain that Ko would win easily. Collin Morikawa was amazing. When I
saw his drive hit the 16th green close to the pin, 양영훈's 4 wood shot 2009 pga
came back to my memory.
Dr. Lee, Collin Morikawa will refer Asian Players' win today to "the greater East Asia
Co-prosperity Sphere".
2020.08.09 19:37
Thank you, Dr. Hwang.
Thank you, Dr. Ohn, for letting us know the fancy description by Morikawa.
I must say I like it very much. He certainly has a good brain and a good education
to come up with that title statement that speaks loud and clear the common denominator
among the three ethnic groups, Korea, Japan and China, i.e. the higher work ethics standards
that are well known in America to help them excel in their professions.
I've never seen Lydia collapse under pressure like that.
That is said to be golf.
Y. E. Yang's 3-hybrid to the green beating Tiger, and Morikawa's driving to the green
are indeed the shots that will be in the history book of golf, indeed.
2020.08.09 20:47
Thanks for your gentlemen's comments.
Sure it was busy for golf fans to watch those 3 different golf
tournaments and DVR certainly helped us watching at different times
after having taped them.
Core members of 태극낭자 are not participated LPGA tournament yet due to
Coronavirus Pandemic, but 해외교포 태극 낭자군 are sure dominant, 4 of top
5 players on this week were them (Danielle Kang, Lydia Ko, Minjee Lee, and
Andrea Lee) ! KJ
2020.08.10 09:55
Feisty Danielle Kang did it again!
Danielle Kang (27) wins Marathon Classic of LPGA in dramatic fashion.
52 hole leader , Lydia Ko (23) led 5 strokes over Kang with 6 holes to play
and suddenly momentum was switched to Kang. The lead was shrunk down to 1 stroke
with 1 hole to go. Lydia Ko made a double bogey in 72nd hole and Danielle Kang
won with a par-saving putt at the last hole.
It is very unusual for Ko to collapse like this, especially she was known to
be a short game wizard. This is Kang's 5th LPGA win!
Let's give a big hands to Champion, Danielle Kang! KJ