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A22
SPORTSTuesday 5 April 2016
Ko wins ANA, taking advantage
of Jutanugarn’s late collapse
JOHN NICHOLSON
AP Sports Writer
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif.
(AP) — Lydia Ko got the
help she needed to win the
ANA Inspiration.
Taking advantage of Ariya
Jutanugarn’s late collapse
and caddie Jason Ham-
ilton’s advice, Ko found
herself splashing around in
Poppie’s Pond late Sunday
afternoon at Mission Hills.
“This is an unbelievable
moment,” Ko said before
taking the traditional vic-
tory leap into the pond.
When Jutanugarn — play-
ing in the group behind —
blew a two-stroke lead with
bogeys on the par-4 16th
and par-3 17th, the top-
ranked Ko had the open-
ing she needed on the par-
5 18th.
That’s when Hamilton
stepped in.
“I think I’m lucky that Jason
kind of talked me out of not
going for the green in two,”
said Ko, facing a 3-wood
shot over water from a
downhill lie if she went for it.
“I knew if I mis-hit it, it was
going to go straight in the
water. ‘He said, ‘Hey, we
can still make birdie going
the conventional way.’ I
decided to hit an 8-iron out
and hit a sand wedge.”
And what a sand wedge
it was, an 88-yarder that
gently released to a foot
for a tap-in birdie.
“Every shot is special in its
own way, like every win is
special,” Ko said. “But just
playing the 72nd hole, bird-
ieing the last hole, that’s
always a good feeling. For
that shot to mean so much
that I would win the event,
that makes it extra special.”
The 18-year-old New Zea-
lander closed with a 3-un-
der 69 to finish at 12 under,
a stroke ahead of play-
ing partner In Gee Chun
and Charley Hull, and two
ahead of Jutanugarn.
Jutanugarn bogeyed
the final three holes. The
20-year-old Thai player
three-putted 16, failed to
get up-and-down from a
bunker on 17 and hooked
her drive into the water on
18.
“I really get nervous, espe-
Lydia Ko, of New Zealand, poses with the trophy after winning
the LPGA Tour ANA Inspiration golf tournament at Mission Hills
Country Club, Sunday, April 3, 2016, in Rancho Mirage, Calif. ing sixth Key Biscayne title
cially being my first time
leading,” Jutanugarn said
Until Sunday, best known for
blowing a two-stroke lead
with a closing triple bogey
in the 2013 LPGA Thailand,
Jutanugarn made four
birdies in a five-hole stretch the back nine, the first with
in the middle of the round
to move into position for a
breakthrough victory that
slipped away. She finished
with a 71. “I got a lot of ex- on 17.
perience from this week,”
Jutanugarn said.
Ko won the Evian Cham-
pionship in September in
France to become the
youngest female major
champion and became
the youngest two-time ma-
jor winner Sunday. She has
12 LPGA Tour victories, the
first two as an amateur and
five last season when she
was the tour’s player of the
year.
“For these amazing things
to be happening it is un-
believable, but it also mo-
tivates me to work harder,”
said Ko, the winner last
Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, celebrates after defeating Kei Nishi-
kori, of Japan, 6-3, 6-3, during the men’s singles final match at
the Miami Open tennis tournament, Sunday, April 3, 2016, in Key
Biscayne, Fla.
Associated Press
Champion Djokovic
says Miami Open will
stay in Key Biscayne
BY STEVEN WINE
AP SPORTS WRITER
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP)
-- Novak Djokovic says the
Miami Open will remain
in Key Biscayne for a long
time, and South Florida
tennis fans hope he’s right.
Tournament officials were
mum about the future of
the event, which has been
in question since an ap-
peals court decision last
year that prevents the Mi-
ami Open from upgrad-
ing its complex. Following
that ruling, a lawyer for the The Key Biscayne site is
tournament said relocation
was all but certain.
Djokovic won a record-ty-
Sunday, and addressed
Associated Press the issue during the trophy
ceremony.
“I don’t know how much
you follow the stories about
week in Carlsbad. the tournament moving,”
Ko birdied the two front- he said. “I assure you it’s
nine par 3s in her bogey- going to stay here for a
free round, making a 22- long time. So see you next
foot putt on the fifth and a year.”
40-footer on the eighth. She He reinforced the message
had three key par saves on during his postmatch news
conference.
a 15-foot putt after criss- “From some reliable sourc-
crossing the par-5 11th. She es I know the tournament
ran in an 18-footer on the will stay here for many
par-4 13th, and a 10-footer years to come,” he said.
“I don’t think we need to
“At the end of the day, have a conversation about
they were all important,” moving this tournament
Ko said. “If I had missed my anywhere else.”
par putt on 11, who knows Tournament director Adam
what would have hap- Barrett didn’t respond to
pened. If I had missed my repeated requests for an
par putt on 13, I might have interview during the event.
been a few more shots be-
hind. If I missed my putt on
17, I might not have bird-
ied.”
Hull birdied the 18th for a
69 and her best finish in a
major.
“I know I can play well un-
der pressure now when I
have to get it going,” the
20-year-old English player
said.
Eugene Stearns, an attor-
ney for the Miami Open,
didn’t return phone calls
seeking comment.
Next year’s site was never
in much doubt, with the
starting date of March 20 in
Key Biscayne announced
months ago. But there’s
been speculation about
eventual alternative loca-
tions, ranging from Orlando
to South America to China.
Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer
visited the tournament last
week.
owned by Miami-Dade
County. Tournament of-
ficials have long said up-
grades are essential if the
event is to remain among
the most prestigious in ten-
nis, and some top play-
ers say the facilities have
slipped behind Indian Wells
and other events.
“It’s obvious that something
needs to happen,” Rafael
Nadal said. “All the tourna-
ments are making improve-
ments on facilities, and it’s
true this tournament didn’t
make that happen for a
while.”
The cost of upgrades isn’t
the issue. The Miami Open
planned to pay for $50 mil-
lion in improvements.
If tennis left, it could be part
of a double-whammy for
South Florida. The future of
the PGA event at Doral is
in doubt because General
Motors’ sponsorship agree-
ment ended last month.