BALTIMORE: Belen Mozo sank an eight-foot birdie putt to win the clinching point on Sunday as Spain won the LPGA International Crown team match-play title.
Mozo’s clutch birdie at the par-5 16th hole defeated Thailand’s Moriya Jutanugarn 3 and 2 for Spain’s third singles victory of the final session.
That left the Spaniards on 13 points with two matches remaining but no rival able to overtake them for the title, a fact Mozo didn’t know when she made the putt and pumped her fist in celebration.
“Damn, it feels good,” Mozo said. “I just wanted to close my match out. I had no idea. I’m thrilled I could do it.
“We said coming into this weekend that we had an advantage being such good friends and so close to each other. We all stayed true to ourselves.
“There were a lot of great players here. We just had what other teams lacked.”
Each member of the Spanish foursome collected $100,000 and a metal crown as well as a trophy symbolic of supremacy in the inaugural global match-play team showdown at Caves Valley, which awarded two points for wins and one for halves.
Japan finished four-ball play Saturday on eight points with Thailand, Sweden and Spain each one back and South Korea two adrift entering singles matches.
But Spain’s Carlotta Ciganda routed South Korea’s Choi Na-Yeon 8 and 6 and teammate Beatriz Recari downed Sweden’s Mikaela Parmlid 3 and 2 to put Spain ahead on 11 points.
“I was more focused on my game and just playing good,” Recari said.
“I love match play and I love playing for my country and my friends,” Ciganda said. “I played much more aggressive. You need to make pars and a few birdies.”
Sweden pulled level for the lead after Pernilla Lindberg beat Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn 6 and 5 and Anna Nordqvist took a 3-and-2 win over Japan’s Mamiko Higa, but the Swedes had no more matches remaining.
Korean Ryu So-Yeon edged Sakura Yokomine 1 up to deny Japan a vital point, leaving the leaders when the day began three off the pace.
Thailand lurked on nine points after Pornanong Phatlum edged I.K. Kim 1 up to end South Korea’s title hopes.
That simply set the stage for Mozo’s triumph, which was sealed when Jutanugarn missed her eight-foot birdie attempt at 16.
Spain had been seeded fifth when the week began but expectations were turned on their head Saturday when the top-seeded United States, boasting four of the world’s top 12 players, was eliminated in a playoff with South Korea.
Munoz was the highest-rated Spaniard at 20th with Mozo the lowest at 112th.
AFP
