Allisen Corpuz became the first American in 20 years to make the U.S. Women’s Open her first LPGA title, closing with a 3-under 69 on Sunday and handling her historic moment at Pebble Beach as if she had been there before.
Corpuz, a 25-year-old from Hawaii, pulled away with a big par putt and back-to-back birdies on the back nine to enjoy the most scenic walk in golf up the 18th fairway, the Pacific Ocean on her left and her place secured as the first U.S. Women’s Open champion at Pebble Beach.
She won by three shots over Charley Hull (66) and Jiyai Shin (68) and claimed the $2 million prize, the richest ever for an LPGA major champion.
Corpuz was so calm and cool on the grandest stage in women’s golf, regardless of the shot or the circumstances, until reality began to set in down the 18th, the same path walked by Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Tiger Woods, all Open champions at Pebble Beach.
When she tapped in for par, she covered her smile with her hand and wiped tears away with her Aloha-print towel.
“Unreal,” Corpuz said. “This week has felt like a dream come true. It’s been really awesome to be at Pebble Beach this week. Every few holes I kind of looked out and thought, ‘I’m here at Pebble. There’s not many places better than this.’”
Former President Barack Obama was among the first to congratulate her on Twitter. Both went to Punahou School in Honolulu.
“You make us all proud — and look forward to a round at Kapolei!,” Obama tweeted.
Hilary Lunke in 2003 at Pumpkin Ridge was the last American to get her first win at the U.S. Women’s Open, that one in a three-way Monday playoff.
Corpuz, who finished at 9-under 279, was the only player to break par all four days.
Corpuz never gave anyone much of a chance. Nasa Hataoka lost her one-shot lead on the opening hole when Corpuz hit her approach to 5 feet for birdie, and the 24-year-old from Japan dropped too many shots down the home stretch.
They were tied at the turn until Corpuz hit her approach to just inside 10 feet for birdie on the 10th. The key moment came at the par-3 12th, when Corpuz hit her approach short into the bunker and had 15 feet for par. Hataoka rolled her birdie putt from the fringe 5 feet by the hole. Corpuz made her par, Hataoka missed her putt and the lead was at two.
It only got larger, Corpuz stretching it to four shots with superb wedges to 8 feet on the par-5 14th and 4 feet on the 15th, both birdies that made the final act a battle for…
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