Teenage phenom Yealimi Noh is once again near the top of the leaderboard. Last week, she shared the 54-hole lead at the Volunteers of America Classic in Irving, Texas, before finishing tied for second. At even par through 54 holes in the 75th U.S. Women’s Open, she’s tied for fifth and four shots back of the lead.
In addition to her first win on the LPGA Tour, Noh will be chasing history on Sunday at Champions Golf Club. She would become the youngest U.S. Women’s Open winner in championship history at 19 years, 4 months and 17 days, a record set by Inbee Park (19 years, 11 months, 17 days) when she won in 2008.
“I didn’t know that. Just hoping to play my best tomorrow and not have any regrets,” said Noh, who recorded three birdies and four bogeys this afternoon en route to a 1-over 72. “I was really excited for this event because it’s my first [U.S. Women’s Open]. Last week definitely gave me a lot of confidence going into this week.”
The LPGA*USGA Girls Golf of Walnut Creek (Calif.) alumna had a stellar amateur career and has quickly established herself as a contender on the biggest stage in women’s professional golf. During a three-week stretch in July 2018, Noh won individual titles at the Girls Junior PGA Championship, U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship and the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship.
She burst onto the LPGA Tour scene last year after a pair of top performances at the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic (T6) and Cambia Portland Classic (runner-up), both coming after she Monday qualified into the field. As a 2020 rookie, Noh owns two top-five results and is on pace for another with 18 holes left in the most decorated major championship in the women’s game.
“I think just focus,” Noh said about what she has learned from being in contention. “It’s like focusing on yourself and seeing where it will take you because you can’t control anyone else. Greens and fairways are the goal, and to leave ourselves in really good position, like uphill, straight putts.”
LYDIA KO EAGER TO CHASE “THAT SMILING ASSASSIN”
She’s the only player to record top-20 finishes in each of the first three majors on the 2020 LPGA Tour schedule, and on Sunday, Lydia Ko will look to add a fourth. The 15-time LPGA Tour winner and two-time major champion sits even par and in a tie for fifth with 18 holes to play at the U.S. Women’s Open, golf’s final major championship in 2020.
“Going into majors, I always say I want to be in contention as many times as possible and I think this is the best stretch I’ve had in majors outside of probably 2016,” said Ko, who carded a steady 1-over 72 on the Cypress Creek Course on Saturday with one birdie and two bogeys. “The more times you put yourself in position and those kind of pressure conditions, the more you get used to it and if things go your way you could be the one hoisting the trophy at the end of the day on Sunday.
“I think it is really important, not only in majors, but in other events to just keep playing consistently and if you keep putting yourself in that position, at some point if it is your time, it’s going to fall your way.”
Ko will be part of the final round’s penultimate grouping off No. 1 tee at 9:24 a.m. CT tomorrow. Trailing the lead by four strokes, she is eager to give chase at Champions Golf Club.
“Coming from behind, you’re playing with a little more of an aggressive strategy compared to somebody that’s trying to protect the lead or run off with it,” said Ko. “[Hinako Shibuno] seems like she is doing an incredible job and she’s also a major champion. I’m sure at points, it is going to feel like it’s tough to catch her. I have to go out, focus on my game and play the best golf I can, accept what comes my way.
“It’s either a great poker face or she’s that smiling assassin. I feel like I smile quite a lot out there, but I’m like pretty grumpy compared to Hinako. No, I think she’s stayed calm. You saw her at the [AIG] British Open and I’m sure going into that Sunday there might have been doubts because not many people had heard of her compared to some other players, but she showed them who is boss and she’s clearly doing that right now.”
SATURDAY ACE FOR CHELLA CHOI
Chella Choi had a hole-in-one on the 12th hole, from 180 yards with a 4-hybrid. Choi’s ace is the third of the championship, joining first-round aces from Amy Olson and Yu Jin Sung. The last time three aces were made in the same U.S. Women’s Open was in 1998 at Blackwolf Run, when Helen Alfredsson, Clarissa Childs and Brandie Burton each recorded one.
For Choi’s ace, CME Group will donate $20,000 to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. The 2020 season has now seen 14 aces for a total of $280,000 donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Choi ultimately shot +4 on Saturday and is tied for 51st at +7 overall.
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