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Na Yeon Choi Takes U.S. Open…Americans Fade

by Jeff Skinner

Na Yeon Choi followed in the footsteps of her countrywomen Si Ri Pak as she claimed the 67th U.S. Open at the same course that Pak had won on in 1998 when she started the revolution in women’s golf in South Korea.

Choi’s win once again shows the power, impact and dominance that South Korean women have at the U.S. Women’s Open.  This is the second consecutive year and the fourth victory in the last five Open’s that South Korean’s have won.

So where are the Americans at the American Open?  Early in the tournament American women covered the leaderboard but by Sunday afternoon they had all faded leaving only Paula Creamer, the last American winner, to finish among the top ten.

Here’s a report card for the top American’s and their failed attempt to bring the trophy home.

Paula Creamer  T7 : B  Creamer earned her U.S. Open win at Oakmont in 2010, the toughest course ever for this event so we know she has the grit to play a tough course.  She hit plenty of fairways but her putter failed her once again.

Cristie Kerr  T9 :  C  Kerr covets this tournament like no other and she lets everyone know it.  She got off to a great start, 69, 71 but as the course got tougher she lost her game.  And the putts that fell on Thursday and Friday wouldn’t drop on the weekend.

Nicole Castrale  T9 : B  Castrale has been on tour for six years with one win and this year has only two top twenty finishes so her Open has to considered a success.

Cindy Lacrosse  T14 : B  So far this season Lacrosse has five missed cuts and one top twenty finish.  This was a good week for her.

Lexi Thompson  T14 : B   The long hitting seventeen year old contended early but a balky putter and too many bogeys (10), Double bogeys (4) and one ‘other’ cost her any chance.

Brittany Lincicome  T18 : C   She started off great with an opening 69 but followed with an 80 on Friday, done and done.

Vicky Hurst  T18 :  C  Another good start, 71, 70 wasted with too many bogeys on the weekend.

Michelle Wie  T35 :  D  Her second round 66 had her in second place.  But her game vanished as quickly as it came with 78, 80 on the weekend.

Stacy Lewis  T46  :  F   She came into this major with so much confidence and promise but soon became frustrated and seemed to lose her composure early when things went bad.

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