Seven birdies and an eagle, 65 strokes, gave Inbee Park her seventh Grand Slam victory. The 27-year-old South Korean player starred in Turnberry in a spectacular duel with her compatriot Jin Young Ko in the British Open, whom she matched on the 15th hole, after a superb comeback, as Park started Sunday in fifth position, three strokes behind Ko.
On the 16th, a birdie by Park and a subsequent double bogey by Ko when she went into the water left things in the balance. Thus ended an Open with an absolute protagonism of their country by coping the first three places: Inbee won (-12), with Jin Young (-9) second and So Yeong Riu (-8) third tied with Lydia Ko, who although New Zealander nationality was also born in Korea. Fifth place went to Norway’s Suzanne Pettersen (-7), sixth to Taiwan’s Teresa Lu (-6) and seventh shared by Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist and Japan’s Mika Miyazato (-5).
Outstanding in the tournament was the amateur Luna Sobrón (-1), who finished thirteenth after a spectacular round of 69. The Spaniard, who recorded three rounds under par, was the only amateur to make the cut. Malaga’s Azahara Muñoz (+9) finished fiftieth.
With this victory, Park achieved the goal she had set for herself two years ago of completing all Grand Slam titles.
Park, who has just regained the world number one ranking and has five wins this season, pocketed $450,000 for her victory.
“This is something I’ve dreamed of my whole life, my whole career and this whole year. To finally achieve it is a relief and I’m so happy right now. I wasn’t very comfortable going into the week, but it’s phenomenal to have overcome so much and win the Open,” said an elated Park.
With this British Open, Park completed her “Grand Slam”, made up of five tournaments, unlike the men’s, made up of four majors. Inbee has managed to win all five not in the same season, but in different years, the first one when she was only 19, the 2008 US Open. She won the Evian in 2012, when this tournament was not yet included in the Grand Slam.
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