Page 47 - Golf Champion - October 2021

her American home in the Dallas area, she thrived. She the par-5 13th when she was in trouble off the tee and
finished at 16-under 268 for her eighth career LPGA had 20 feet left for par, with Ko about 12 feet for a birdie
victory. She remains at No. 2 in the world. chance. Castren holed her par putt, Ko missed and the
"I was thinking I had a lot of pressure with the No. 1 lead remained at one.
ranking," Ko said. "But I made it this week. I'm very The roles were switched on the next hole when Ko missed
happy." her tee shot well to the right and couldn't reach the green,
Staked to a one-shot lead, Ko opened with three birdies in pitching to 6 feet. Castren had a wedge into the green, but
four holes to widen her lead. Castren, who won her first she couldn't convert for birdie and Ko saved par.
LPGA Tour title three weeks ago at Lake Merced, kept The tournament swung on the 15th hole when Castren
her in her sights with a pair of birdies before making the missed a 3-foot par putt that snapped hard to the left,
turn. falling two shots behind. She got up-and-down from just
"I was thinking I couldn't win this week because like short of the par-5 17th for birdie, and stayed in the game
Matilda, she played really well today and yesterday, too," when Ko missed her birdie putt from 6 feet.
Ko said. "It's like I want to focus on my game on the course Castren had a 25-foot birdie from off the back of the 18th
and then I tried to not think about Matilda, how she play, green that missed to the right, setting up Ko's winning
hit driver or whatever. And it was tough. But yeah, she's par putt from just outside 3 feet.
good player." "I played with her the last two days and it was just really
Castren was in danger of falling three shots behind on cool to watch her play," Castren said. "She didn't make

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