Stacey Lewis Crushes Inbee Park’s Grand Slam Opportunity

It was the talk of the LPGA Tour leading up to last weekend’s Ricoh Women’s British Open. Would Inbee Park by able to make history, becoming the first player, male or female, to secure four major wins in a single season?  Perhaps the pressure was too much for the young South Korean, who quickly fell down the leaderboard, as American Stacey Lewis was able to narrowly secure the win.
 
Lewis returned to the Old Course at St. Andrews last week determined to follow-up the success of her last trip here in 2008.  When America claimed its first victory over Great Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup.
 
The 28-year-old produced a stellar finish, with birdie putts on both the 17th and 18th, ending the competition on top, two-strokes ahead of joint second place Na Yeon Choi and Hee Young Park.   
 
Describing her shot on the 17th, Lewis said it was “one of the best of my career.  It worked out perfectly. I had thought if I could get to seven under then I could maybe make a play-off, but when I made birdie there to reach that mark, my caddie and I walked off the green and said ‘one more’.”
 
This marks the first major in 10 to be won by an American, ending the Asian victory sweep that’s held the LPGA recently.
 
Park’s quest for a fourth major in the season was crushed pretty much from the start of the Open, finishing the tournament at six-over par.
 
“It was a tough day today. I really got off to a bad start when I 4-putted the 1st hole,” said Park afterwards.
 
The world number one went on to say, “I’m just glad the tournament is over because I’ve gone through four rounds under pressure.  Everybody has been watching me. It feels a bit weird because I get to do an interview when I shot 6-over par today.”