SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) — Filipino-American Allisen Corpuz captured her first LPGA victory in dramatic fashion on Sunday, firing a three-under par 69 to win the US Women’s Open by three strokes.
The 25-year-old from Honolulu finished 72 holes at Pebble Beach on nine-under 279 to defeat England’s Charley Hull, who fired a final-round 66, and South Korean Shin Ji-yai, who shot 68.
“Unreal. This week has just felt like a dream come true,” said Corpuz, who was born to a Filipino father and a Korean mother in the United States, said.
“It has been just awesome to be out at Pebble this week.”
Although she competes under the US flag, she still remains a Filipino at heart as her father, Marcos, hailed from the Vigan in Ilocos Sur before being stationed as a US Army colonel to countries like Germany, Korea, United States, and Hawaii, where he met his wife, May, a registered nurse at the Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu.
Corpuz gave credit to her father for molding her into becoming the first American to clinch an LPGA title by winning the US Open.
“I started playing golf when I was four, or five years old. My parents actually live on Kapolei golf course
— on the left side. So yeah, my dad has always been a really big golf fan and just got us into it really young,” the 25-year-old Corpuz said.
Meanwhile, Japanese Yuka Saso, who won the US Open in 2021 representing the Philippines, finished tied at 20th.
Nasa Hataoka, the 54-hole leader, finished with a 76 to share fourth on 285 with American Bailey Tardy while Japan’s Ayaka Furue and South Korean Kim Hyo-joo shared sixth on 286.
Corpuz had shared a major lead at the Chevron Championship earlier this year before settling for fourth, a hint of the promise she made at the iconic California seaside course where such legends as Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus have hoisted trophies.
“I’ve played a little conservatively in the past and just went out there and told myself I had the game to do it today,” Corpuz said.
“Little nervous at times but pretty comfortable.”
