“They’re all so good,” Johnston said of the young crop of players on tour. At 17, she was the first teen ever to win an official Japan LPGA Tour event. She did come close to driving into the water at 18, but a safe iron into the green gave her an easy two-putt for the win - which figures to be only the latest of many. In the shadow of Los Angeles’ famed Hollywood sign, Hataoka carded a final-round, 67 for a show-stopping five-stroke victory at the DIO Implant LA Open.
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Hataoka rifled iron shots to nearly tap-in range at both the 15th and 17th holes. After a penalty drop, she hit a nice pitch to give herself a chance to save par, but missed the short putt. Hataoka’s only real gaffe on Sunday came when she drove into the water on the 16th, which was shortened to a driveable 252 yards. She goes over what she knows and what she does.” She just kind of prepares herself, practice-wise. “She doesn’t seem to get rattled much for as young as she is. Yesterday she made a bunch of putts and found something in her putting,” said Hataoka’s caddie, Greg Johnston, who has worked for some of the top women players in the world, including Juli Inkster, Lorena Ochoa and Cristie Kerr. “The first two days she didn’t make an putts. Hataoka, who shot 64 in the third round, started the final round with a strong push, notching three birdies in the first five holes. Kim, who resides in Los Angeles, made eight birdies and an eagle on the par-4 16th.
NASA HATAOKA PRO
Hur set the course record with a 10-under 62, South Korean 23-year-old Hyo Joo Kim, matched it. Driver: Srixon Z 785 (9.5°, Miyazaki Kaula Kiri 6S shaft) 3-wood: Srixon ZX (Miyazaki Kuala Kiri 6S shaft) Hybrids: Srixon ZX HYB (3 & 4, Miyazaki hybrid shafts) Irons: Srixon Z 785 (5-PW, Nippon NS Pro 950 S shafts) Wedges: Cleveland 588 RTX2. 1 Sung Hyun Park (68) and Inbee Park, who was denied her 20th LPGA win by shooting only 71. The other players who finished second were Spain’s Azahara Munoz (67), South Korean and world No. Nasa was making birdies, and I needed to keep pushing more and more.” “Anyone will tell you I like attention,” she said, “so I kind of like feeding off what’s going on.
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Kang said she never took her eye off the leaderboard. She bogeyed 18 when her 6-iron from 175 yards hit pin-high and rolled Kang, who grew up in Westlake Village and won her first major at the 2017 Women’s PGA Championship, spread out eight birdies in her round, including at the 16th and 17th. Kang and Jin Young Ko each shot 7-under 65, even as both suffered bogeys on the difficult 18th hole.Ī two-time LPGA winner, Ko charged with birdies on 15 and 16, and then she holed out from the fairway at the par-5 17th for eagle to get to within two shots at the time. Though Hataoka’s winning margin of three shots seemed comfortable, it was anything but, with some contenders producing spectacular shots.