The women’s L.A. Open was no contest — Nasa Hataoka saw to that on Sunday as she basically buried the rest of the field on her way to a sixth LPGA Tour victory.
Hataoka broke away from her challengers with a 67 on Saturday and led Hannah Green by four after world No. 1 Jin Young Ko took a mind-boggling quadruple-bogey eight at the par four 17th, trying to escape from a deep hazard that borders the green.
Over the final 18, it was all Nasa.
After she made seven straight pars, Hataoka put the tournament away on the par-four 15th when she holed a 35-foot eagle putt to open a six-stroke lead.
“That eagle really helped me kind of relax a little bit, kind of feel like I was putting really good today,” Hataoka said.
“I did have a lead, but obviously this course, this challenging course, you never know what’s going to happen,” Hataoka said. “I was able to focus until the last putt.”
Hataoka closed with another 67 and finished 15-under par, a shot off the tournament record set by Brooke Henderson last year. It was a nice bounce-back for Hataoka after she missed the cut two weeks ago at the LOTTE Championship in Hawaii.
“I don’t know if I can compare this, but on the PGA Tour, Jordan Spieth missed the cut at the Masters and then won Heritage,” Hataoka said. “So you never know what’s going to happen in golf.”
The Tour stays in the Los Angeles area this week for the Palos Verdes Championship begins Thursday at Palos Verdes Estates.
Greg Norman Wants Exemption Into 150th Open Championship, R&A Gives The Cold Shoulder:
Apparently Greg Norman is in everyone’s dog house.
Norman, a two-time Open champion, wants to play in the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews and given the fact that Sharky would have a tough time trying to make it through the qualifying process, he’s asked the R&A for a special exemption.
The R&A’s response? Dead silence.
Sorry Greg, doesn’t look like you’ll be getting that invite.
One Comment
baxter cepeda
The rna did say something, (paraphrasing) saying they had no plans to give anymore special exemptions. They basically said no.
This really feels like a publicity stunt from Norman. Maybe a precedent for a lawsuit.
As Lynch pointed out today, Norman could have played his last Open at St Andrew’s moons ago when he was still eligible; but at the time said he preferred a younger player with a potentially bright future take the spot.
What changed?
Shark might be in many’s doghouse, but according to some articles he is not in at least 15 of the top 100 players. Sergio. Adam. Phil. All playing with Sharks league.
Remember when people were like come back when you have something real. Well this is real now. And it really is just getting started.
Pga tour players are about the biggest scaredy-cats when it comes to new things; as with the Olympics. But as with the Olympics players will quickly become comfortable with this new league. At that point we will be past just getting started and well into full blown in the middle of this big mess.
Greg will not play the Open, but his league is definitely starting play. Time to start compromising IMO.