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Tuesday 15 december 2020
A Lim Kim wins U.S. Women's Open debut with record-tying rally

HOUSTON (AP) — A Lim Kim en's British Open last year
made her first U.S. Wom- in her first tournament out-
en's Open appearance a side Japan. Her short game
memorable one Monday, only carried her for so long,
closing with three straight however, and she fell out
birdies to tie the record for of the lead by starting the
the largest comeback and back nine with consecutive
win the biggest event in bogeys.
women's golf. Shibuno birdied the 18th
And in the final major of this hole for a 74 and finished
pandemic-disrupted year two behind. Only four play-
in sports, she won wearing ers finished under par.
a mask. Olson recovered from three
Starting the final, frigid straight bogeys early in the
round at Champions Golf round and looked so solid
Club five shots behind, the for so long, taking advan-
25-year-old South Korean tage of her length and the
wore a heavy down jacket high trajectory of her irons.
between shots and de- She went 11 straight holes
livered a 4-under 67 for a without a bogey, and still
one-shot victory over Amy has no regrets over the hy-
Olson and Jin Young Ko. brid that sealed her fate.
"Still can't really soak in that She had 170 yards to cov-
I'm the champion," she A Lim Kim, of South Korea, holds up the championship trophy after winning the U.S. Women's Open er the bunker fronting the
said, minutes after being golf tournament, Monday, Dec. 14, 2020, in Houston. 16th green, and based on
soaked in champagne on Associated Press how far her 5-iron flew on
a day with temperatures in the previous hole, she knew
the 40s. Monday. "I felt very weak and help- birdied the 18th when it that would be enough.
Kim became the seventh Olson, winless in seven years less the last couple days, was too late to catch Kim. Her hybrid was beautiful in
player to rally from five on the LPGA Tour, had a and probably today on Ko closed with a 68, one of flight, but ran over the back
shots behind in the final two-shot lead on the back the golf course," Olson said, only six players to break par of the green and left her lit-
round of the U.S. Women's nine after 54-hole leader Hi- fighting back tears. "I really in the final round where the tle chance of par.
Open, and the first since nako Shibuno faltered. But believe the Lord just carried cold and mud-splattered By then, Kim was on her
Annika Sorenstam at The she couldn't do anything me through. It just makes golf balls added to the dif- way, attacking flags. Her
Broadmoor in 1995. about Kim's late charge, you realize how much big- ficulty. Kim finished at 3-un- 5-iron on the 16th settled
Olson held her own amid and Olson fell back when ger life is than golf. But der 281 and won $1 million. 4 feet away. She hit 8-iron
the grief of learning her her hybrid on the par-3 pleased with my finish over- She added to South Korean that rolled out to just under
father-in-law died unex- 16th bounded over the all and my performance." dominance of this major, 2 feet on the 17th to tie for
pectedly in North Dakota green and into thick, brown Ko, the No. 1 player in the the ninth winner in the last the lead, and she closed
on Saturday night. She was rough, leading to bogey. world who only recently 13 years. with a pitching wedge to
in tears Sunday morning She birdied the final hole for returned from South Korea Shibuno was trying to win in just inside 10 feet, pump-
on the range, before rain a 72 after Kim had already where she rode out the her first try at a second ma- ing her first when her third
pushed the final round to secured the title. COVID-19 pandemic, also jor, having won the Wom- straight birdie dropped.q

Patriots' NFL-record division title streak will end at 11

By KYLE HIGHTOWER The Bills also beat New tiebreakers.
AP Sports Writer England 24-21 in Buffalo The Jets and Patriots both
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) last month, though with finished 9-7 in 2002, with
— For just the fourth time their records now, the Pa- New York taking the divi-
since Bill Belichick became triots can't catch Buffalo sion title.
Patriots coach in 2000, in the standings. The last New England is still math-
New England won't end time the Patriots failed to ematically alive to extend
the season as AFC East win the division was 2008, its league-record 11 con-
champions. when Tom Brady suffered secutive playoff berths,
The Buffalo Bills improved a season-ending injury in but will need lots of help
to 10-3 overall and 7-2 in the opener. over the remainder of the
the conference with their This will also be the first season to do so.
26-15 win over the Pitts- time since Belichick's first The Patriots won six Super
burgh Steelers on Sun- season in New England in Bowls, nine AFC titles and
day night. It eliminated 2000 that an AFC East foe 17 division championships
the hopes of New Eng- has finished with more vic- after Brady took over as New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick yells from
the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game
land (6-7, 5-4) to extend tories than the Patriots. In starting quarterback in against the Los Angeles Rams Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020, in In-
its NFL-record run of 11 2008, both New England 2001. In many of those glewood, Calif.
straight division titles. The and Miami were 11-5, but years, they virtually cruised Associated Press
Los Angeles Rams own the the Dolphins won the divi- into the postseason.
NFL's second-longest divi- sion on a tiebreaker, and Since last missing the play- been more than three division title been up for
sion streak, earning seven the Patriots missed a wild- offs in 2008, their average games, and in none of grabs in the final week of
straight titles from 1973-79. card spot by losing other margin in the division has those seasons had the the season. q