The famous Pebble Beach received its first US Women’s Open winner in the form of Allisen Corpuz. The golfer managed to keep her nerves in check and finish the final round at 9-under par. The last day of the tournament witnessed the victor execute more than five birdies. Unquestionably, it wasn’t an easy feat considering the difficulty level of the golf course.
However, as she ensured a three-stroke victory over Charley Hull and Jiyai Shin, the golfer encountered a strange situation. The incident was sure to hinder the lead she had created for herself. Thankfully, the 25-year-old and her caddie were able to prevent any mishaps and conquer the 78th US Women’s Open title. Explore with us what these tricky circumstances were like.
The anomalous on-course affair that came Corpuz’s way at the US Women’s Open
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The $2,000,000 US Women’s Open title will be something Allisen Corpuz will probably look back on. However, there was one more moment from the finale that might have also left an impression on the golfer, though perhaps not all that positive. After all, it ended with the golfer being issued a warning!
On Sunday, when Corpuz got ready to take the shot at the 13th hole, she evidently backed off of her approach delivery, resulting in the golf pro exceeding the given 40 seconds to take the shot. This, in turn, prompted an official warning from the USGA officials. As per the warning, one more slow-play situation and the LPGA star would have received a penalty.
A strange slow-play situation unfolded during the final round at the U.S. Women’s Open, and it involved the leader and eventual champion, Allisen Corpuz: https://t.co/tg1cUBRUFV
— SI Golf (@SI_Golf) July 10, 2023
Typically, instead of a penalty stroke, fines are dished out by the league as a disciplinary measure. But it appears that the rule was not a possibility at the third women’s major championship. Hence, it could have caused some serious damage to her career had Corpuz repeated her mistake.
The situation even rang a warning bell in the mind of the golfer’s caddie, Jay Monahan, who found the injunction to be eye-opening, per Sports Illustrated. Given the circumstances, it was only natural for the looper to try to reassure his player. He said, “We’re not going to flirt with a penalty; we’ll make the adjustment, and we’ll be okay.”
Although, later on, as per Corpuz’s statement, it appears that amidst Monahan’s encouraging efforts, the professional wasn’t too concerned about the penalty at all!
The USGA penalty warning didn’t bother Allisen Corpuz
Undoubtedly, the warning issued by the governing body was worrisome. But Allisen Corpuz had encountered a similar situation previously as well. At that time, she would let the circumstances get to her, which would result in a rushed, bad shot. However, not at the US Women’s Open!
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On the prestigious stage, the LPGA star told herself, “That’s just kind of how the course plays sometimes. I just told myself that we’d catch up later and just stay calm, just keep doing everything at the same pace.” It appears that she applied the lessons from her previous experiences well enough to avoid more than three bogeys and a penalty.
Despite the slow-play warning, the golfer clarified with the press that she was not actually a slow player. She revealed that those situations arose because the wind had died down, forcing her to back off from the shot. Nonetheless, Corpuz reminded herself not to lose focus. Clearly, she succeeded in executing her thoughts well and eventually walked away with a $2 million payout.
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What do you think of the almost-penalty of Allisen Corpuz during the final round of the US Women’s Open? Let us know in the comments!