Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Nelly Korda won the US Women’s Open on Sunday, rolling in a clutch birdie putt at the 17th hole to break free of a crowded leaderboard and triumph by one stroke at Riviera Country Club. The world number one edged England’s Charley Hull and Mexico’s Gaby Lopez for her long-coveted first US Open victory, giving her a fourth major title and her second of the year after she won the Chevron Championship in April.
Korda carded a two-under par 69 for an eight-under total of 276, keeping her nerve as Hull, Lopez, and South Korea’s Chun In-Gee challenged on the Pacific Palisades course that will host golf at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. After rolling in the nine-foot birdie at the penultimate hole to seize a slender lead, Korda had one more heart-stopping moment as her three-foot par putt at the last circled the cup before dropping in. “I just can’t even explain how much this means to me,” a tearful Korda said at the trophy presentation.
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England’s Hull, who had thrust herself into contention with an impressive third-round 65, fired a four-under 67 for a seven-under total of 277. She also birdied 17 and rattled in a par-saving nine-foot putt at 18 to keep her bid alive, but Hull ultimately had to settle for her fifth runner-up finish in a major. Lopez carded a three-under 68, seizing a share of the clubhouse lead with her fourth birdie of the day at 18, only to be pipped by Korda.
Chun, who won the first of her three major titles at the 2015 US Women’s Open, had a two-shot lead after back-to-back birdies at 10 and 11, but she bogeyed 12 and 13 before missing an eight-foot par putt at 18. Her one-under 70 left her alone in fourth on six-under 278. She was one stroke in front of compatriot Kim Sei-young, who started the day tied with Korda for the lead but closed with a one-over 72.
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