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SPORTS Tuesday 20 March 2018

Park wins Founders Cup, 54-year-old Davies ties for 2nd

By JOHN NICHOLSON the 2003 Canadian Wom-
PHOENIX (AP) — Weeks like en's Open at 46 years, 8
this at the Founders Cup months, 29 days.
are why Inbee Park held off "It would've been huge,"
retiring and Laura Davies is Davies said.
still competing at age 54. She also could have moved
Park celebrated her 19th within a point of the LPGA
LPGA Tour victory and first Hall of Fame with a win in
in a little over a year Sun- the event honoring the 13
day at Desert Ridge. Davies women who founded the
tied for second for her best tour.
tour finish since winning the "I was 4 over after six on the
last of her 20 titles in 2001. first day, so just to get in this
Park closed with a 5-under position is amazing," Davies
67 in cool, breezy condi- said.
tions, pulling away with four After following an open-
straight back-nine birdies. ing birdie with 10 pars, Park
The 29-year-old South Ko- started her birdie run with a
rean star finished at 19-un- 15-footer from the fringe on
der 269, winning a day af- the par-4 12th. She added
ter revealing she was 50-50 a curling 10-foot try on the
about retiring before re- par-4 13th, a 20-footer on
turning from a long break. the par-3 14th and got up-
"The reason that I am com- and-down from a bunker
peting and playing is be- on the par-5 15th.
cause I want to win and "I was getting a little bit frus-
because I want to contend trated, but I always just try
in golf tournaments," Park to keep myself calm and
said. "This week definitely just keep telling myself that,
proved me I can win and 'It's going to come. It's go-
contend and play some ing to come. It's going to
pain-free golf." drop at some point,'" Park
Davies, three strokes be- said.
hind Park entering the She returned two weeks
round after the World Golf ago in Singapore for her Inbee Park poses with the trophy after winning the Founders Cup LPGA golf tournament Sunday,
Hall of Famers shot match- title defense after not play- March 18, 2018, in Phoenix.
ing 63s on Saturday, bo- ing since the Women's Brit- Associated Press
geyed the last for a 69 to ish Open in August.
finish five strokes back with "I felt like I was hitting the ning run. "My dream come true," Ju- ton of birdie opportunities."
Ariya Jutanugarn and Ma- ball quite solid, but I didn't Fighting Achilles tendon tanugarn said. "I love how In Gee Chun had a 66 —
rina Alex. know when the short game and calf problems in her she plays. She's like my idol the best round of the day
"Now people might stop and the putting was go- left leg, Davies also birdied and I had some much fun. I — to join Megan Khan (68)
asking me when I'm going ing to come around," Park the par-5 15th. She was try- not really concentrate with at 13 under.
to retire," Davies said. "I can said. "I just felt like that was ing to win for the fifth time my score at all. I just have Michelle Wie and Jessica
just say, 'Well, I finished sec- just really rusty from taking in Phoenix after taking the so much fun. Pleasure to Korda struggled on the
ond last week.' That's the some break from last year." Moon Valley event from play with her." weekend, each closing
good bit. People are off my Davies rebounded from 1994-97. "I still feel like I can Alex closed with a 68 for with a 72. Korda tied for
back now. I can just go and an opening bogey with a hit the ball as well as most the best finish of her career. 26th at 8 under, a stroke
play and see if I can have chip-in eagle on the par-5 of the really good players She chipped in for eagle on ahead of Wie. Korda won
a few more top-10 finishes second. She made 8-foot out here," Davies said. 15, but bogeyed the 18th to three weeks ago in Thai-
this year." birdie putts on Nos. 9 and Jutanugarn had a 70 to fall into the tie for second. land in her return from jaw
She missed a chance to 10 to get within a stroke of tie for second for the sec- "I guess when I made the surgery, and Wie was com-
shatter the LPGA Tour age Park before the Olympic ond straight year. She was eagle, then I got a little ex- ing off a victory in the Sin-
record set by Beth Daniel in champion made her win- paired with Davies. cited," Alex said. "I missed a gapore event.q