Steady As She Goes: Allisen Corpuz Wins U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach for First LPGA Tour Title
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — While Charley Hull played one of the most aggressive rounds of this U.S. Women’s Open, Allisen Corpuz was quietly, confidently and expertly plotting her way around Pebble Beach en route to the title.
The result could only be predicted by an adage that never fails: Slow and steady wins the race.
For the 25-year-old Corpuz, who on Sunday became the first American to win the U.S. Women’s Open since 2016, that ability to “slow down” defined her victorious performance in a number of ways.
On the 13th hole of Corpuz’s Sunday round, she was put on the clock by USGA rules officials for a slow play violation after backing away from a shot when the wind direction switched.
One more “bad time” and she would've been hit with a one-shot penalty. On the LPGA, players are typically fined for such violations—but not at the U.S. Women’s Open.
The blip was alarming to both Corpuz and her caddie, Jay Monahan (no, he's not related to the PGA Tour commissioner) who said the incident was “concerning” and “eye-opening."
“It’s tough. You don’t want that,” Monahan said. “We had a one, maybe two-shot lead at that point and if the wind switches on us again and she’s not ready to hit a shot, you’re going to have to hit it. Otherwise, all of a sudden your lead is gone.”
The group caught up to speed by the 14th tee, and an incident that could have derailed a run at a major championship launched Corpuz into a string of defining birdies.
“I've had a few instances in the past where I kind of let that get to me. Obviously not happy about it, but just kind of rushed things a little and didn't hit a good shot. I told myself, that's just kind of how the course plays sometimes. You have a tough hole, you fall behind. I just told myself that we'd catch up later and just stay calm, just keep doing everything at the same pace,” Corpuz said.
The Hawaii native birdied both the 14th and 15th holes, reaching 10 under for the tournament and all but icing her first professional victory. A bogey on the tricky par-3 17th didn’t change much, and Corpuz ultimately found herself walking up the 18th fairway at the first U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach with a three-shot lead.
“Slowness” also defined Corpuz’s victory in a much less penal, and rather rewarding sense. She came up just short at this year’s Chevron Championship, and has recently been working with her mental coach on achieving a breakthrough win.
“I spoke with my mental coach, Bill Nelson, a bit this morning just to try to calm down a little. Really just tried to keep things steady. For me, I get a little quick, so really just tried to slow everything down and enjoy the moment,” Corpuz said.
Corpuz’s constant flat-line expression on Sunday screamed stone-cold competitor. She rarely reveals emotion on the golf course, but it turns out her locked-in appearance might be a facade: “I think I’ve always had a pretty calm demeanor. Not so much on the inside, but projecting that outwardly,” Corpuz said.
In order to sync up those two sides, Corpuz has been actively trying to move away from the quickness that reverberates inside of her. This week, she accomplished that by practicing something a lot of women felt this week at Pebble Beach: gratitude.
“Lately it's just been about keeping things the same. Just taking a bigger perspective. Like I said, I tend to get a little quick, so really just taking a look at the bigger picture, like this week we're out at Pebble. I'm just really grateful to be able to play professional golf for a living,” Corpuz said.
When Corpuz’s tap-in for par dropped on the 18th green and the spectators went wild, she could finally let go of her mental mission.
“My mind is racing. Like I said yesterday, this is really a dream come true. It was something I had dreamed of, but at the same time kind of just never really expected it to happen. Just trying to take it in and enjoy the moment,” Corpuz said.
Corpuz walked off the putting surface on No. 18 with her face buried in her bag towel.
But underneath it all—between hugs with her family, friends, and fellow competitors—Corpuz’s major championship-winning smile never went away.