PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. | What a one to wait for. Hawaii native Allisen Corpuz came so close many times last year, just one round away from getting it done. But now, the 25-year-old can call herself a Rolex First-Time Winner and a major champion, victorious in the 78th playing of the U.S. Women’s Open.
“This is really a dream come true. It was something I had dreamed of, but at the same time kind of just never expected it to happen. Just trying to take it in and enjoy the moment,” said Corpuz, who is the fourth different LPGA Tour winner from Hawaii, joining Jackie Pung, Lenore Muraoka Rittenhouse and Michelle Wie West. “I feel like everything that's happened this year has prepared me for this moment. It's super special that both of my parents are out here this week. I had a ton of family and friends out. It was really awesome to know that we're at Pebble, such a historic venue and just amazing.”
Corpuz has run the gamut in USGA championships, playing in 18 of them ahead of this week at Pebble Beach Golf Links. She holds the record as the youngest player ever to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links, teeing it up in 2008 at 10 years, 3 months and 9 days. She was a member of the victorious United States Curtis Cup team in 2021, helping carry her country to victory with an undefeated 3-0-0 record. And now, Corpuz is the first American to win her country’s Open since Brittany Lang in 2016.
Though she’d never say it out loud, the close calls were starting to get a bit frustrating. Before today, Corpuz had recorded five career top-10 finishes in her first two seasons on the LPGA Tour and only one of those results was outside the top four, a ninth-place showing at last year’s Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play presented by MGM Rewards. Corpuz finished solo second at last year’s ISPS Handa World Invitational in August and solo third at The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican.
In addition to her tie for fourth at The Chevron Championship in 2023, Corpuz recorded a tie for third at the HSBC Women’s World Championship just a few weeks before while playing in the final group with eventual champion Jin Young Ko and Nelly Korda.
That moment in Singapore especially did a lot for Corpuz’s confidence. A player that always quietly goes about her business, the University of Southern California alumna felt like that Sunday did a lot for her perspective of her place on the LPGA Tour, serving as a reminder that she does indeed belong out here, something she further validated at Pebble Beach.
“I think there's always that added pressure of playing with the World No. 1 and 2,” said Corpuz of the final day at Sentosa Golf Club earlier this year. “I went into that round thinking like, ‘I'm playing with them?’ That felt like the first time that I had a solid final round. Obviously, didn't win but still felt really happy with how the week went. I think that definitely helped today.
“I talked to a few people about it even going into today. Was kind of just like, no matter what happens today, it's been a good week. Just go out there, have some fun, and really, really happy that I did win, but even if I hadn't, it would have validated a lot of the work that I've put in.”
While some may be surprised to see Corpuz hoisting the Harton S. Semple trophy on Sunday, this moment was always coming. Before the first tee shots were struck on Thursday, Corpuz was tied for third in most strokes gained total (+2.68) in the previous two major championships, finishing T4 at Chevron and T15 two weeks ago at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club. She was third on Tour in driving accuracy at 85.61% and 16th in greens in regulation at 72.64%, also ranking 20th in strokes gained tee-to-green (+0.95) and 24th in strokes gained approach (+0.55).
At the conclusion of the week, Corpuz was second in strokes gained approach (+2.70) and was tied for second in scrambling (72%), making just over 91 feet of putts in the final round and gaining 2.64 strokes on the greens on Sunday. Corpuz’s statistics speak for themselves when it came to tackling a challenging Pebble Beach. But she gives a lot of credit to her caddie, Jay Monahan, who has become a trusted advisor and best friend since they began working together last January.
“He's just really calm, and I think he knows what to say in the right moments for me, especially since we've been working together for about a year and a half now,” she said. “He was a pretty solid player on his own, and obviously married to Jennifer Kupcho. I think she gives him some advice to pass on to me. He has some advice for me. Has always felt like an older brother to me.”
It's been twenty years since an American captured her first LPGA Tour title at the U.S. Women’s Open, and Corpuz joins the likes of Hilary Lunke (2003), Jane Geddes (1986) and Kathy Baker (1985) as just the fourth player from the United States to do so in the last four decades. It’s also fitting that the Hawaiian won for the very first time during a week that saw a notable last as Wie West closed out her LPGA Tour career at Pebble Beach. Though an eight-year age gap has kept the two from competing together and interacting out on Tour, Corpuz is still incredibly grateful to share her heritage – and the title of U.S. Women’s Open champion – with someone like Wie West.
“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. But I've never really compared myself to her,” said Corpuz. “I've always wanted to make my own name. She's just served as a really big inspiration.”
Corpuz will no doubt be drowning in celebratory text messages and social media posts when she finally has a second to breathe and open her phone. Even Barack Obama, Corpuz’s fellow Punahou School alum, saw her win at Pebble Beach.
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! 🤙🏾
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 10, 2023
But perspective is something that Corpuz has put a premium on as of late. To play golf and to win at golf takes plenty of it and now, with a trophy finally in hand, Corpuz won’t be forgetting that fact any time soon.
“Lately it's just been about keeping things the same. Just taking a bigger perspective,” she 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 (Beach). I'm just really grateful to be able to play professional golf for a living.”
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