At U.S. Women’s Open, theme is clearly South Korea first
BEDMINSTER, N. J. For the third consecutive day, President Trump stepped into his glass-encased box at Trump National Golf Club to take a look at the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open spreading out before his eyes.
But instead of seeing golfers, he saw Melissa Byrne, a campaigner for the women’s group UltraViolet, and three of her colleagues, all standing right in front of him, protesting in purple T-shirts that read: “USGA: DUMP SEXIST TRUMP.”
Byrne pointed her right index finger at Trump. Behind the glass, he pointed his right index finger back at her. Golf was being played all around them, but at that moment, Trump and Byrne personified everything this tour- nament came to be: a story of controversy surrounding the decision by the U.S. Golf Association to play the crown jewel of women’s golf at a course owned by a man who has bragged about sexually assaulting women.
“I wanted to be able to look him in the eye,” said Byrne, whose group bought tickets to enter the course. “It’s not ideal (to financially support Trump’s course), but it’s more important to be able to look the president in the eye and know that we’re not afraid of him.”
As other protests occurred inside and outside security checkpoints Sunday, the tournament went on as scheduled and was won by 23-year-old South Korean Sung Hyun Park, who surged into the lead late in the final round with a scintillating 5-under-par 67 to win by two strokes over 17-year-old South Korean amateur Hye-Jin Choi.
Park’s was a victory for herself, of course, but also a continuation of the domination South Korean golfers have shown in the women’s game since Se-Ri Pak be-
BEDMINSTER, N. J. All weekend, the cheers emanating from Trump National Golf Club’s 15th hole belonged to the president, inducing a chorus from supporters every time he waved from his box overlooking the hole.
On Sunday, the cheers belonged to Sung Hyun Park.
With Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, looking on, the 23-year-old South Korean, who had yet to win on the LPGA tour, rolled in a 25-foot birdie putt on the 533-yard, par-5 15th hole.
The crowd let out the loudest roar of the week for the shot that, in the end, won Park the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open.
“My mind went blank,” said Park, who finished tied for third in last year’s event. “All I was thinking about was, ‘Make a birdie.’ ”
Shanshan Feng, 27, the thirdround leader from China, looked to have the advantage heading into the final round. Feng is in her 10th year on the LPGA tour and already has seven wins, including a major victory in 2012 and a bronze medal in the 2016 Olympics. With one bogey through three rounds, the tournament was hers to lose.
Instead it was Hye-Jin Choi, a 17-year-old South Korean amateur playing alongside Feng in the final group, who looked the more assured of the two.
Choi came into the tournament hoping only to make the cut. But birdies on her second and seventh holes, coupled with a 1 over front nine from Feng, gave Choi a two-shot lead with nine holes to play.
“She’s very good player. I didn’t see her as an amateur,” Feng said of Choi. “As good as she is, she’s going to win any time.”
It looked to be a two-horse race by that point. Feng, the seasoned pro who had been a bastion of consistency the entire tournament, and Choi, seeking to become the first amateur in 50 years to hoist the most prestigious prize in women’s golf.
Meanwhile, Park, playing one group ahead, was setting the course afire.
Coming into the day at 6-under par, Park clawed her way into the lead at 10 under after birdies on the second, fifth, eighth, 12th and 15th holes.
Choi joined her briefly with a birdie of her own on the 15th, which she immediately relinquished moments later with a water-bound tee shot on the par-3 16th.
Another birdie on 17 effectively secured Park the victory at 11 under, and her final round 67 was the second-best score of the day.
“I feel like I’m floating on a cloud,” Park said. “Unbelievable joy and happiness from me. I’m so thankful.”