Sybase Match Play Championship - Semi-Finals & Finals
by hound dog on May 23, 2010 2:26 PM PDT
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PrintSun Young Yoo defeated two top 10 seeds on Sunday (and five straight top 12 seeds over three days) to win the Sybase Match Play Championship. It is the first career victory for the 23-year-old from South Korea. Yoo defeated #1 seed Jiyai Shin 2&1 in her morning semi-final and #10 seed Angela Stanford 3&1 in the final.
In the first semi-final, Stanford took a 3-up lead over Amy Yang with a birdie at 10. Yang birdied 11 to draw one closer but remained 2-down through 15. Amy birdied 16 and 18 to square the match. On the 19th hole, Angela birdied to win. The other semi featured Yoo jumping out to a 3-up lead through 8. Sun Young bogeyed 10 to surrender one but Jiyai gave it back with bogey at 11. A Shin birdie at 12 closed the gap to two but she could only halve the remaining holes and fell 2&1. In the consolation match, Yang missed a five-footer for par at 15 that sent Shin 3-up with three to go. At 16, Shin had two putts from 25 feet to win. She lagged to two feet, inducing Yang to concede the match 3&2.
In the final, Yoo took the lead when she salvaged a lengthy par putt at 3 while Stanford bogeyed. The next seven holes were halved. At the par-5 11th, Sun Young spun her third shot off the front of the green while Angela played hers perfectly to two feet. The birdie squared the match and another birdie at 12 (downhill from 10 feet) gave Stanford her first lead. It was short-lived. Angela's approach at 13 went through the green. After taking a free drop from casual water, her chip was too short and rolled back off the green. Yoo two-putted from 25 feet to go All Square. Stanford couldn't get up-and-down from a greenside bunker (missed 10-foot par putt) at 14. Yoo two-putted from 15 feet to retake the lead.
Both players missed the green at 15. Stanford chipped to five feet but Yoo's chip nearly went in, lipping out to two feet. Angela dropped her par putt to stay within one. At the par-3 16th, Yoo played a fine shot to eight feet. With the pressure on, Stanford played right at the flag - her ball took one hop and banged the pin, unluckily rolling about 15 feet away. Angela's birdie putt stayed right all the way and Sun Young rolled hers home, going 2-up with only two to play. At 17, Stanford's approach landed just short of the green. Yoo landed hers within four feet, virtually slamming the door shut. Needing a chip-in to have any chance, Stanford missed to the right and conceded the hole and match.
It figures that since Sports Medic called me out on not picking any Koreans to make the final eight, the winner would be of that nationality. I don't feel too bad about being wrong about Yoo, though - only three contestants in the PakPicker at Seoulsisters.com had her anywhere in the final 16. Congrats to SteveNF on picking her as high as second, and Congratulations SYY!
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Yoo wasn't on my radar screen either.
Ai Miyazato was my favorite to win the Sybase. I thought Song Hee Kim would go deepest of the Korean golfers. Ji Yai Shin has not played particularly well in early rounds and has had to mount charges on the final two days. I also agreed that she was vulnerable if Lincicome developed momentum over the first two days. I was definitely right about CK. She played like someone who burned the midnight oil in NYC that week and seemed very content to trade in her clubs for a golfcart that weekend.
Didn’t mean to sound like I was calling you out for not meeting a Korean quota. If I came across that way I apologize. If I was looking at Val Skinner’s backet I wouldn’t have been surprised. Again, I respect your opinions, know you have a ton of knowlege about the tour and was curious if you had specific reasons like driving distance, the course, lack of match play experience, or that match play goes against their non-confrontational demeanor. You were on a deadline, played a hunch and went on gut feelings. No offense intended, not taken.
Wonder if Stanford regrets her late night at the ball park. She did seem to fade as the afternoon went on. If she would have won, or another American had won, it would not be a problem. But like when Tony Romo went to Cabo on the off week before the playoffs then losing the game, it creates a perception of a lack of commitment. Win a playoff game like he did last year and he can go qualify for the U.S. Open without controversy.
I am disappointed Su Young Yoo didn’t do the interview with Golf Channel. Especially since so many of the Asians have worked on their English and interview skills. It purpotrates a stereotype that has become generally inaccurate. Stephanie Wie stated that she did her media interviews in English. Maybe she just din’t want to talk to Val. It’s unfortunate because she had posssibly the best week of match play in ladies golf and that should have been the story.
no apologies necessary
I was being facetious with the “called me out” phrase. Although as poorly as my picks did, I deserved a calling out! All questions raised are good ones here. Good point on Stanford’s baseball trip – the perception often trumps reality these days.
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