ERIE, Pa. - Jane Park won the U.S. Women's Amateur on Sunday, clinching her first USGA title after Amanda McCurdy bogeyed the 36th and final hole.
The 17-year-old Park, a runnerup last year in this tournament and the U.S. Girls Junior, got a big victory hug from her caddie, cousin Jung Park, after securing the 2-up win over McCurdy, a 20-year-old junior at the University of Arkansas.
"Being up there with those names - Bobby Jones, Tiger Woods, Carol Semple-Thompson - it's awesome," said Park of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
In her trademark white bucket hat, Park played with the confidence she had shown all week. She shot 6 under on 14 holes in the second round to advance and made the final after being down to Curtis Cup teammate Sarah Huarte to win 2-up.
On Sunday, McCurdy and Park were even after the first 18 holes. In the afternoon, Park birdied the first hole, a 372-yard par 4, to go 1-up. She extended her lead to 3-up going into the 29th hole.
But McCurdy birdied that hole, a 164-yard par 3, to make the match 2-up. Park answered, pitching in for birdie at the next hole to win it.
McCurdy birdied the 33rd and 35th holes after Park's wedge, shot from behind the hole, flew past it about 20 yards and rolled down to the fairway.
"It was the best shot I hit all week - and it went 20 yards over the green. But it's okay," Park said.
McCurdy had a long putt for birdie on the last hole to extend the match, but she three-putted and bogeyed to give Park the win.
NATIONWIDE: Brad Ott shot 8-under 64 to win the Price Cutter Charity Championship in Springfield, Mo., for his first tour victory. Ott set a tournament record with 25-under 263, beating Brandt Snedecker (63) by a stroke. Ott's best finish on tour was runnerup in Clearwater in 2002. Sunday's win was his 94th start on tour.
HOOTERS: Will MacKenzie shot 8-under 65 for 21-under 267 to win the the Buffalo Run Casino Classic in Miami, Okla. Tee McCabe (67) was three back in second, and Florida alum Bubba Dickerson (75), who entered tied for the lead with MacKenzie, dropped to a tie for 14th.
EUROPEAN PGA: Gary Emerson birdied three of the final five holes for 4-under 68, winning the Russian Open in Nakhabino by two shots. It was the first career tour victory for Emerson, who began two behind co-leaders Henrik Nystrom and Kariem Baraka. He finished 16-under 272. Rain halted play Saturday and postponed the final two rounds until Sunday. Emerson shot 68 in the third round to tie Baraka for the lead. Markus Brier (70-69) was second at 14 under, one ahead of Kyron Sullivan (67-68). Nystrom (73-70) finished fifth at 11 under. Baraka (70-76) tied for 11th at 8 under.
