Park is youngest winner of U.S. Women's Open

6/30/2008

EDINA, Minn. (AP) -- Inbee Park woke up in the middle of the night 10 years ago when she heard cheering from the living room of her tiny apartment outside Seoul.

Her parents were up at 3 a.m. to watch Se Ri Pak become the first South Korean and the youngest winner of the U.S. Women's Open. The 9-year-old girl sat down with them to watch, half asleep, but definitely paying attention.

Two days later, she placed her tiny hands around a golf club for the first time.

On Sunday, Park wrapped hands around the biggest trophy in women's golf, capturing the U.S. Women's Open at Interlachen with bogey-free golf over the final 10 holes as everyone else melted away.

Two weeks shy of her 20th birthday, Park replaced Pak as the youngest Women's Open champion. She pulled away with crucial putts on three straight holes -- two birdies and one par -- early on the back nine and added a final birdie for a 2-under 71 and a four-shot victory over Helen Alfredsson.

Park was the only player in the final nine groups to break par. She finished at 9-under 283 and earned $585,000, then got soaked at the end of a sunny afternoon when Jeong Jang and I.K. Kim rushed onto the green and doused her with beer.

It was a shocker for everyone else, but for different reasons.

Alfredsson began the final round tied with Park, two shots out of the lead and hopeful she could finally atone for her collapse 14 years ago in the Women's Open, took 35 putts in her final round of 75.

Stacy Lewis, trying to become the first player to win a major in her professional debut, made double bogey from 80 yards in front of the green on the par-5 second hole and staggered home to a 78 to tie for third at 288.

Paula Creamer, who started the final round one shot behind Lewis and said her experience of six LPGA victories would be a big advantage, made two double bogeys on the front nine for a 41 and scrambled for a 78.

Leaderboard – Final:

1.  Inbee Park                    72 69 71 71 283 - 9
2.  Helen Alfredson             70 71 71 75 287 - 5
3.  Angela Park                   73 67 75 73 288 - 4
     In-Kyung Kim                 71 73 69 75 288 - 4
     Stacy Lewis                    73 70 67 78 288 - 4
6.  Gulia Sergas                  73 74 72 70 289 - 3
     Nicole Castrale               74 70 74 71 289 - 3
     Mi Hyun Kim                  72 72 70 75 289 - 3
     Paula Creamer               70 72 69 78 289 - 3
10. Teresa Lu                      71 72 73 74 290 - 2
     Maria Jose Uribe (am.)    69 74 72 75 290 - 2

19. Jessica Korda (am.)        72 78 75 69 294 +2

Source: AP, LPGA Tour