Ko leads by one shot at US Women’s Open

The 19-year-old New Zealander was in a four-way tie for the lead heading down the 18th but she drained a nine-foot birdie putt to edge ahead on seven-under 209.

Ko has a one-shot lead over 2009 victor Eun Hee Ji and Sung Hyun Park.

Just when it seemed as if the U.S. Women’s Open would come down to the final hole of the three-hole playoff, a rules violation changed everything and helped deliver Brittany Lang her first major title.

Park was 8-under after the second round and led Yang and first-round leader Mirim Lee of South Korea by two shots, and Ko and Haru Nomura of Japan by three. “That’s why I am comfortable, don’t even think about the winning”.

Ko came from behind this year to win ANA Inspiration and last year to win the Evian Championship, her two major titles.

Ko, who is hoping to win a third major title, placed herself in an ominous position yesterday with a round of 66 that improved on her opening day 73. She followed with a two-putt for birdie on the par-5 18th, setting the stage for the playoff.

Playing the final three holes at CordeValle Golf Club, both women parred the par-three 16th and, it appeared, the par-four 17th. “It wasn’t any reason to question it. But I’m certainly disappointed of the timing of it”.

Lang shot a 1-under 71 to finish with a 6-under 282 for the tournament at CordeValle for her second win in 287 tournaments on the LPGA Tour.

“I should have judged the lie a little better and maybe played a little smarter and laid up short of the hazard”, she said. Ko’s real undoing was her uncharacteristic wildness off the tee; she hooked several drives.

Her game on Saturday was solid and was evidence of the progress she’s made thanks to lots of hard work this past year as she prepares to play for Canada in Rio. Like I said at the beginning of the week, I just wanted to play some good golf. Unlike in the men’s U.S. Open, in which victor Dustin Johnson overcame a controversial one-stroke penalty, Nordqvist could not recover from her mistake. A loss to Brooke Henderson in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and Sunday’s collapse made it two straight blown opportunities, though she has nonetheless finished inside the top three in five straight majors. “You have to learn how to hang in there and you just give yourself a chance on Sunday”. “I really felt good about it. I thought (9 a.m.) was such a good [tee] time”.

Bogeys on the back nine drop Lydia Ko down the US Open leaderboard to finish in fourth. I’m still hitting it good. “But overall, very happy”.