SAN MARTIN, Calif. – Lydia Ko’s bid to become the youngest winner of the U.S. Women’s Open was probably lost with her golf ball in the hazard at the ninth hole Sunday at CordeValle Golf Club.
A race to stay off the clock for slow play after that didn’t help her, either.
After pulling her tee shot left in the heavy rough at the ninth hole, Ko was left with a second shot over a hazard. She had just 116 yards to clear the hazard, and with a 25-degree hybrid in hand, she took a hard swipe but couldn’t muscle it out far enough.