COLORADO SPRINGS — South Korea’s So-Yeon Ryu arrived at The Broadmoor without exempt playing status on the LPGA Tour. She doesn’t have to worry about that now.
Ryu, 21, defeated another South Korean, Hee Kyung Seo, in a three-hole playoff Monday morning to claim the 66th U.S. Women’s Open Championship. It is Ryu’s first win on the LPGA Tour.
Ryu played the three playoff holes in 2-under. Seo was 1-over.
“When I was start, golf Se Ri Pak won the (1998) U.S. Women’s Open tournament, so this tournament is really special for me,” Ryu said. “But I won this tournament, so I’m really happy and unbelievable.”
The biggest event in women’s golf carried a $585,000 first prize. Seo earned $350,000 as the runner-up.
Both players made par on the first playoff hole, the 170-yard par-3 16th. But Ryu gained a two-stroke advantage on the 600-yard, par-5 17th when she rolled in a birdie putt and Seo made bogey after driving into a deep fairway bunker.
Ryu added another playoff birdie on No. 18. She became the first Korean to win an LPGA major since Eun-Hee Ji’s victory in the 2008 U.S. Women’s Open.
Seo, 25, posted a 3-under-par 281 Sunday, but Ryu was among 30 players that had to complete their fourth round Monday morning.
“I remember yesterday the caddie of So Yeon said, ‘we’re gonna be chasing you,’ ” Seo said. “And then the result is they were chasing me, and unfortunately I couldn’t win this time.”
Ryu forced the playoff when she rolled in an 8-foot birdie putt on her 72nd hole Monday morning.
Ryu stood at 2-under par when she got to the course Monday morning and needed a birdie on one of her remaining three holes. She just missed a birdie on No. 17 when an 18-footer just skimmed the right side of the cup.
“In the morning when I hit the 16th hole tee shot, I (was) really nervous, so I couldn’t smiled,” Ryu said. “But my caddie keep talking, ‘So Yeon, just smile. Calm down.’ So I felt a little bit more comfortable.
“And then I don’t know why, but I just like 16th hole. Actually hole 18 is really difficult, but I made a birdie the second round, so I had a little bit more confidence in there.”
Seo also was looking for her first LPGA major. She won the 2010 Kia Classic.
Pak, who finished her round earlier in the morning, was one of a number of fellow Korean players who came out to watch the playoff.
“I was walking three holes and I looked back and all I can say I was just proud. Proud to be Korean,” Pak said. “Proud for them to be out here playing their own best. They are the true champions, and I am very happy to see it.”
American Cristie Kerr had just two holes to play and needed to go 2-under to force a playoff. Her chances all but ended when she missed a 12-foot birdie attempt on No. 17.
Another American, Angela Stanford, had the difficult task of needing birdies on her last three holes to catch Seo. She kept her hopes alive by bagging a 15-foot birdie on the par-3 16th. But she missed a birdie try of similar length on No. 17.
