Go Jinyoung. Photo = Getty Images Korea
It was the ‘Nightmare 17th hole’.
Jin-young Ko (27), the ‘World No. 1’ who was competing for the lead in the season and headed for the second win, lost four strokes at once at the 17th hole, a par 4, and swallowed a disappointment.
Jinyoung Ko is a birdie in the 3rd round of the US Women’s Professional Golf (LPGA) Tour D.O. Implant LA Open (total prize of 1.5 million dollars, 1.86 billion won) held at the Wilshire Country Club (par 71) in Los Angeles, California on the 24th (Korean time). One over par with four bogeys, one bogey, and one quadruple bogey. She shot a total of 6 under-par 207, putting her in the group tied for third with Inbee Park (34) and Hyeji Kang (32). 5 strokes behind No. 1 Nasa Hataoka (Japan, 11 under par) and 1 stroke behind No. 2 Hannah Green (Australia 7 under par).
It was a disappointing result for Jinyoung Ko, who was tied for 30th in the first round even par and then took a 7-under par in the second round and took the lead with Hataoka at once.
Jinyoung Ko, who started the 4th round in the last group with Hataoka and Green, made 3 birdies and 1 bogey until the 16th (par 4) hole, and reduced 2 strokes to mark 9-under, 2 shots behind Hataoka (11-under). did. But he had a nightmare on the 17th hole.
It started when the second shot fell into the waterway next to the green. The ball landed on the mud in the penalty area, but instead of a penalty shot, he attempted a trouble shot forcibly, and the ball hit the concrete wall and rather fell backwards. The fourth shot also hit a wall and fell into the water. Choosing ‘Strong Kong’ led to a bad result. Jinyoung Ko received a penalty stroke only then, returned to the second shot position, took the 6th shot following dropping, and placed it on the green to finish with a two putt. In the end, he recorded ‘onion’ and lost 4 strokes at once. Although he almost collapsed, Jinyoung Ko made up for one shot with a birdie on the 18th (par 3) hole and finished the third round with a 6-under par.
Jinyoung Ko collapsed on the 17th hole and entered the fourth round ahead of the second green by four strokes, and Hataoka had her first win of the season and six chances on the tour since the Arkansas Championship in September last year. Choi Woon-jeong (32) and Lee Min-ji (Australia) were tied for 6th with a 4-under par, and Kim Se-young (29) was ranked tied for 9th with a 3-under par.
Correspondent Kim Do-heon dohoney@donga.com More articles by the reporter
