Sophia Popov, ranked 304th, wins Women & # 39; s British Open

THRONE, Scotland – Sophia Popov marked her ball a few inches from the hole on the 18th green, pulling the brim of her cap her face and began to cry in the arms of her caddy.

The realization had finally hit her. Against all odds, she was about to become a great champion.

Moments later and still wiping her tears, she tapped the putt for a two-stroke victory at Royal Troon and another fairytale at the Women's British Open

Ranked # 304, Popov had never won a senior professional event. She lost her card on the L.P.G.A. Tour at the end of last year and only qualified for the British Open with a top-10 finish two weeks ago at the Marathon Classic in Ohio, where she only played because higher-ranked players could not attend due to Covid-19 restrictions.

This was just Popov's fourth appearance with a major. And as she would later publicly reveal for the first time, she has suffered from health problems for the past six years, particularly Lyme disease.

No wonder the emotions flowed after she shot three under 68 to finish. for Jasmine Suwannapura of Thailand, who shot 67 and became the first female golfer from Germany to win a major title. It's a life-changing win, not least because the winner's check for $ 675,000 was more than six times her pre-Sunday career earnings.

"There's a lot of hard work behind it, I've been through a lot of problems, especially in the health field," Popov, 27, said at the presentation ceremony.

"I got a lot of obstacles in my way so I'm glad I stayed with it. I almost stopped playing last year – thank god I didn't."

On a rare A quiet day on the left in southwest Scotland, Popov started with a three-stroke lead, but drove into a bunker on the first hole and missed a 3-meter par putt.

She hardly made a mistake after that.

Popov pumped her fist after rolling into a birdie putt from 8 feet at the second hole, then made another from a similar distance at No. 3.

Suwannapura, who is also a would have been unlikely winner with a ranking of No. 138, made four consecutive birdies of No. 4 to move within one stroke of the lead, but it was the closest she got.

Popov's Birdies at Nos. 15 and 16 were greeted with furious fist pumps and left her on the cusp of dawn. She kept her nerves on the last two holes, parring No. 17, then gently played No. 18 to give herself three putts to become champion.

She only needed two.

An incredible story for me personally, ”said Popov. “That's why I think I broke down on the 18th hole, because it was something I couldn't have dreamed of a week ago.

“ It's incredible that golf makes these things possible. She added, "I had just about the week of my life."

It was the second consecutive victory at the Women's British Open. Last year, 20-year-old Japanese player Hinako Shibuno was victorious when she first event outside of her native country.

This was the first women's month of the pandemic-disrupted year, played without spectators in Troon due to limitations of the coronavirus, with Popov arriving Tuesday after his second Symetra last week Tour.

Just three weeks ago, Popov was at number 390, pushing a trolley for her friend Anne van Dam at the Drive On Championship in the restart of the LPGA She is now a major champion and thinks her success could inspire others whose careers are in a slump.

“Of course there are an elite number of players who are always there and in conflict,” she said. are so many other players who can make it in any given week, and I want them to feel confident that they can do it too. "

No. 8-ranked Minjee Lee, who played with Popov in the last pair, finished third in third after a round of 69.

Seven-time great champion Inbee Park was the only other player to finish the tournament under par, a 66 which kept her in one bottom and fourth place.