Michelle Wie wobbled a bit down the stretch, but holed two huge putts to win the 69th U.S. Women’s Open by two strokes over top-ranked Stacy Lewis with a closing even-par 70 at Pinehurst No. 2 in the Village of Pinehurst, N.C.
Wie, who built her lead to four shots with a five-foot eagle putt on the 10th hole, chopped up the 16th hole but salvaged a double-bogey 6 by sinking a four-foot putt, before draining a 20-footer for birdie at No. 17 to virtually wrap up the title.
“I just had a lot of fun,” said Wie, the 24-year-old Stanford graduate who claimed her fourth LPGA Tour title and first major. “I woke up this morning excited and grateful for this opportunity. I had goosebumps walking up 18; I can’t believe this is happening.
“I made it hard on myself, but I smiled after making my putt for double bogey. The putt (on No. 17) went nicely to the right at the end. … I’ve had my moments of doubt, but my family and friends around me never lost faith in me.”
Lewis put pressure on Wie with eight birdies in the final round, but also had four bogeys in a 66 and was left waiting on the practice range for a playoff that never came.
Stephanie Meadow of Northern Ireland holed a birdie putt on the final hole to close out a 69 and was three shots back in solo third, and Amy Yang, playing in the final group with Wie, finished with a 74 and was another shot behind.
South Koreans Meena Lee, who had a 68, and So Yeon Ryu, who came in with a 70, tied for fifth, five shots back.
Lexi Thompson, the Kraft Nabisco champion, finished six shots behind in a tie for seventh with Pornanong Phatlum of Thailand and Sakura Yokomine of Japan, with all three recording 71s.
