Explore More
Concern Westchester Country Club might prove too difficult for the best women golfers in the world proved unwarranted. After four days of competition, the storied course was dominated by the ladies.
Inbee Park led the assault by posting a 19-under-par 273 to win the inaugural Women’s PGA Championship on Sunday.
An alarming 33 players shot under par for the tournament, while 40 of the 71 players to make the cut played to par or better. Park’s 19-under matched the tournament record of the old LPGA Championship in relation to par first set by Yani Tseng in 2011 and Cristie Kerr in 2010.
Perfect conditions contributed to the low-scoring, but did not dampen the excitement surrounding the tournament.
“It was an amazing week,” Lexi Thompson said. “It was a whole different atmosphere than the last few years. It definitely felt like a major championship, not only the fans, but also the venue. The course was in great shape.”
Thompson began the day at 5-under, but raced up the leaderboard with eight birdies over her first 13 holes. She got to within four strokes of the lead at one point. A bogey at the par-3 16th stalled her rally. She still finished with a 7-under 66 and 12-under for the tournament.
Brooke Henderson, the 17-year-old from Canada, shot a 2-under 71 to finish 10-under for the tournament, and finished tied for fifth. She was playing on an exemption.
Park’s win matched Annika Sorenstam who won three straight LPGA Championships from 2003-2005. Park revealed she suffered a neck injury early in the week and didn’t feel like herself in the opening round when she posted a 2-under 71.
“I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to play,” she said.
ncG1vNJzZmimqaW8tMCNnKamZ2JlfnZ7j29mamxfqMGwvsiem2avlajBpLTErKueql2utqa4w6xkrKylo7uqusalsGakn6x6r8HMm5yrq12WwW7Dzqacp6tdpbSiew%3D%3D