Obama congratulates US Women's Open winner Allisen Corpuz: 'You make us all proud'
Former President Obama gave a nod to his Hawaiian roots in congratulating Allisen Corpuz for winning the U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach on Sunday and welcomed the chance to share a round of golf with her.
“Congratulations to fellow Hawaiian Allisen Corpuz for winning the U.S. Women’s Open! You make us all proud — and look forward to a round at Kapolei!” Obama tweeted Sunday evening.
Corpuz, 25, won her first LPGA Tour competition Sunday evening, besting golfers Charley Hull and Jiyai Shin by three strokes each. She claimed a $2 million prize, which is the largest for an LPGA major champion.
Obama was born in 1961 in Hawaii and spent large portions of his childhood there with his grandparents. Corpuz and Obama also both attended the Punahou School in Honolulu.
Over the four-day tournament, Corpuz was the only competitor to break par on each day and finished at 9-under 279. With her win, she becomes the second major champion from Hawaii, joining Michelle Wie West, who won the Women’s Open in 2014 and played her last major tournament at Pebble Beach this week.
“I never really thought I’d get this far. Just watching Michelle, she’s been such a huge role model to me, and it was really awesome to break her record for the Public Links,” Corpuz said. “But I’ve never really compared myself to her. I’ve always wanted to make my own name. She’s just served as a really big inspiration.”
This was also the first time the U.S. Women’s Open was played at Pebble Beach, a golf resort in California known for its stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. The U.S. Men’s Open has been played at the resort several in the past, featuring acclaimed golfers including Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Tiger Woods.
“Just knowing the history … Tiger just absolutely annihilated this place. Yeah, it’s really special,” Corpuz said. “Twenty, 30 years from now, I think just the fact that it’s a U.S. Open means a lot to me. But knowing that it’s at Pebble makes it even sweeter.”
The Associated Press contributed.