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Sung Hyun Park wins U.S. Women's Open

 
South Korea’s Sung Hyun Park uses her struggles from last year’s tournament to win this year by two shots.
South Korea’s Sung Hyun Park uses her struggles from last year’s tournament to win this year by two shots.
Published July 17, 2017

BEDMINSTER, N.J. — Sung Hyun Park gave away the U.S. Women's Open a year ago with a couple of bad rounds on the weekend. The South Korean didn't make the same mistake this year.

Park shot her second straight 5-under 67 Sunday and won a final-round battle with frontrunning Shanshan Feng and teenage amateur Hye-Jin Choi at Trump National Golf Club for her first LPGA Tour victory.

Park birdied the 15th to move into a tie for the lead and the 17th to open a two-shot edge after Choi made a double bogey on the previous hole. Park finished at 11-under 277 for a two-stroke win over Choi.

"The experience was definitely worth it, because based on that good experience that I had last year, I think I was able to garner the championship this year," Park said.

"I still cannot believe that it is actually happening. It's almost feel like I'm floating on a cloud in the sky. Of course, I did have many winnings in other tournaments, but winning here at U.S. Open means so much more.

President Donald Trump attended the biggest event in women's golf for the third straight day. There was a peaceful protest after he arrived at his box near the 15th green shortly after 3 p.m. Protesters bought $45 tickets to the event and, representing a few different groups, silently rallied against the U.S. Golf Association's decision to hold the tournament at a Trump-owned property.

At one point, protesters said, Trump looked at them and gave them a thumbs-up.

Park hit a chip from over the green on the par-5 18th to save par and win the $900,000 top prize from the $5 million event. Choi closed with 71 to finish as low amateur for the second straight year.

Top-ranked So Yeon Ryu (70) and fellow South Korean Mi Jung Hur (68) tied for third at 7 under.

Marina Alex of nearby Wayne, N.J., was the best of the Americans at 4 under after 70. It was the worst finish in the Open for the top American since Paula Creamer was seventh in 2012.

PGA: Bryson DeChambeau overcame a four-stroke deficit to win the John Deere Classic by a stroke for his first tour title and a spot in this week's British Open. DeChambeau, 23, birdied four of the final six holes at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill. for 6-under 65 en route to 18-under 266. Third-round leader Patrick Rodgers shot 70 to finish second. DeChambeau made a 14-foot birdie putt on No. 18 to tie Rodgers, who then had a par putt on No. 17 lip out and sent his tee shot on 18 into the rough. "He's a great competitor, and I was kind of shocked he bogeyed 17," said DeChambeau, the 10th first-time winner on the tour this season. Wesley Bryan (64) and Rick Lamb (66) tied for third.

CHAMPIONS: Scott McCarron shot bogey-free 6-under 66 and took advantage of a collapse by three-time defending champ Bernhard Langer to win the Senior Players Championship in Owings Mills, Md. McCarron finished 18 under to beat Langer and Brandt Jobe (72) by one shot, making up a six-shot deficit in the final round. Langer led by one when he hit a tee shot in the water on No. 17, missed a 4-foot putt and ended up with double bogey. On 18, Langer lipped out a 6-foot birdie putt that would have forced a playoff. He finished with 73. "I thought I hit a really good putt," he said of No. 18. "But the big issue was 17, hitting a horrible shot there and then missing for bogey. That was the killer."

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PGA EUROPE: Rafa Cabrera Bello birdied the first hole of a playoff with Callum Shinkwin to win the Scottish Open in Irvine, his first title in 5½ years. The 405th-ranked Shinkwin left short a 4-foot par putt for victory on his 72nd hole to shoot 4-under 68 in his final round and drop into a playoff with Cabrera Bello, who shot a course-record 8-under 64. Both were at 13-under 275.