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Tuesday 26 March 2019
Jin Young Ko rallies to win LPGA Tour’s Founders Cup

By JOHN NICHOLSON would’ve liked. I think that’s
AP Sports Writer why I made bogey.”
PHOENIX (AP) — Jin Young Ciganda played at Arizona
Ko channeled her inner State, helping the Sun Dev-
Dustin Johnson to win for ils win the 2009 NCAA title.
the first time in the United “I would’ve loved to win,”
States. the Spaniard said. “Always
After an even-par 72 left special here in Phoenix, but
her five strokes back head- I couldn’t today.”
ing into the weekend at the Jessica Korda returned
Founders Cup, Ko talked to from a left forearm injury
fellow South Korean player to make her first start of the
Jennifer Song about the season.
top-ranked PGA Tour star. “Obviously, playing pain-
“She told me Dustin hit so free. It shows,” she said.
bad and he didn’t get an- She parred the last two
gry — put clubs in the bag holes, leaving a 20-footer
and just walk,” Ko said. “So, an inch short on 17 and
I tried like Dustin yesterday coming up well short on 18.
and today. I just tried no “I knew I had to post a low
angry, no happy, just focus. one just to kind of make
“ the girls a little nervous,”
It worked. Jin Young Ko poses with the trophy after winning the Founders Cup LPGA golf tournament, Sunday, she said. “A little disap-
The 23-year-old Ko closed March 24, 2019, in Phoenix. pointed with leaving that
with bogey-free rounds of Associated Press last putt short because I
64 and 65 at Desert Ridge 4-footer on the par-3 14th, on Sunday in the event that The 23-year-old Liu missed knew I needed to make it.
to rally for a one-stroke vic- two-putted for birdie on honors the 13 women who a chance to follow Shan- I thought it was going to
tory Sunday. She birdied the par-5 15th and made it founded the LPGA Tour, a shan Feng as the second be downhill. Just the differ-
Nos. 14-16 and parred the three in a row from 3½ feet goal she said she thought Chinese winner in tour his- ence in the shade with the
final two to finish at 22-un- on the par-4 16th. about too much last year. tory. “It was amazing week light I guess just confused
der 266, then won when “Lots of players thinks if “But my friends told me, for me,” Liu said. “First time me a little bit.”
third-round leader Yu Liu there is a pin in the ball ‘You can do it.’ Also my being able to play in the Nelly Korda had her fifth
missed a 15-foot par putt might hit the pin and come manager and my parents, final round, first time being straight top-10 finish to
on the par-4 18th. out,” Ko said. “I think it’s my caddie, all people say in contention. Didn’t han- open the season. She also
Liu shot a 70 to tie for sec- great to put the pin in be- you can,” Ko said. “I got dle the way I wanted to, parred the final two holes.
ond with playing partner cause of it makes it easier lots of confidence for this but feel like there is always “I’m bummed, but I’m not
Carlota Ciganda and sis- for me to putt because it is year. Really good for third room for improvements.” too bummed because I
ters Jessica and Nelly Kor- a small target.” win in the States.” The former Duke player played well this week and
da. Ciganda closed with A 10-time winner on Korean Ko has three top-three fin- wasn’t sure where she was I’m happy with the way
a 69, Jessica Korda eagled tour, Ko won the 2017 LPGA ishes in four events this year. on the leaderboard play- my game is trending,” she
the two back-nine par 5s in KEB Hana Bank Champion- She was second behind ing the 18th. said. “I gave myself an op-
a 64, and Nelly Korda shot ship in South Korea to earn Nelly Korda last month in “I don’t know exactly where portunity on the last cou-
66. her LPGA Tour card and her Australian title defense I stand, if I needed to make ple holes. Seventeen just
Choosing to putt with the took the Women’s Austra- and was coming off a third- birdie or just save par and burned the edge and then
flagstick in the hole under lian Open last year. place tie three weeks ago get to playoff,” Liu said. I lipped out pretty hard on
golf’s new rules, Ko made a She broke through in the U.S. in Singapore. “So I wasn’t as focused as I 18, unfortunately.”q

Woods to open Match Play

against PGA Tour rookie of year

champion from Oregon 2013 in the high desert of 33-48 and Nos. 49-64 —
and the PGA Tour rookie of Arizona when the Match and it was a lottery to see
the year. Play was single elimination. which player went into
Wise will be the 21st player The only three-time winner, each group.
who had never played with Woods was beaten in the There still was very little in-
Woods since he returned first round by Charles How- trigue.
from back surgeries that ell III. Dustin Johnson, the No. 1
kept him out of golf for Now it features 16 four-man seed for the third straight
most of two years. groups, round-robin play year, has Hideki Mat-
Tiger Woods tees off on the eighth hole during the final round of Woods, the No. 13 seed, Wednesday through Fri- suyama, Branden Grace
The Players Championship golf tournament Sunday, March 17, also has Patrick Cantlay day, with the winner from and Chez Reavie.
2019, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. and Brandt Snedeker in his each group advancing to Johnson, who won the last
Associated Press group. the knockout stage over World Golf Championship
By DOUG FERGUSON doesn’t know. The only other time Woods the weekend. in Mexico City last month,
AP Golf Writer Woods, who arrived Mon- played against Cantlay The 64-man field based on opens with Reavie, who
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Tiger day and played nine holes was in the 2011 Frys.com the world ranking from two needs to advance out of
Woods is at another new at Austin Country Club, Open when Cantlay was a weeks ago was divided by group play to have any
golf course for a World Golf opens the Dell Technolo- sophomore at UCLA. their seeds to determine chance of cracking the
Championships event and gies Match Play against The last time Woods played who went into the top 16 top 50 in the world to get
faces another player he Aaron Wise, an NCAA in this fickle event was in groups — Nos. 17-32, Nos. into the Masters.q