Page 35 - Golf Champion - SEPTEMBER 2020

after tears mixed with champagne deal with, particularly with COVID,
on the 18thgreen. “I almost quit we’ve been taken care of really
playing last year; thank goodness I well.” There were no spectators but
didn’t,” she said. “I knew my game nothing could diminish the bril-
was in good shape, but I never ex- liance of Royal Troon. There was
pected this. It’s definitely different just enough weather – especially
than winning on the Cactus Tour.” on Thursday and Friday – to make
When Popov won on the Cactus it true links golf and the R&A was
Tour earlier this year it was for extremely clever in adjusting the
far less than $675,000 she earned course each day to match condi-
Sunday, an amount six times her tions, moving tees up and back,
career earnings on the LPGA. Win- handling the green speeds.
less on both the LPGA and LET,
Popov wouldn’t have been at Royal This tournament was a defiant
Troon if not for a top-10 finish in statement that women’s golf is back
the Marathon Classic that earned a in a major way. And the players
spot. cooperated by not only following
all the safety protocols, but also
And the 27-year-old German who putting on a spectacular show.
played college golf at the Univer- Popov, the most entertaining of all,
sity of Southern California knows stopped before entering scoring to
that not only was she lucky to be get “that damn mask,” she said with
at the AIG Women’s Open, but that a huge smile.
all 144 players were fortunate to
have the opportunity. “We’ve been Everyone came into Royal Troon
extremely privileged,” she said. well aware of the importance of
“AIG, the R&A, everyone who this the AIG Women’s Open, both as
week made the championship what a major championship and as a
it is. With everything we’ve had to major accomplishment in terms of

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