So Yeon Ryu - Credit: © Tristan Jones / LET

In tears from 13 to 18 after the announcement of a surprise penalty

Unbelievable. Historical. New… Adjectives abound to qualify the extraordinary final scenario of the 2017 edition of the ANA Inspiration. The title did not seem to escape the American Lexi Thompson, well installed at the head of the leaderboard with two strokes ahead of the pack of her rivals, while she had six holes left to play. It was there, just before driving to tee n ° 13 that the Floridienne learned that she was penalized four times for a foul committed the previous day and reported this Sunday ... by an email from viewers! Two penalty points for having incorrectly replaced the ball and two penalty points for having signed a bad score card after the third round. Thompson, very affected, nevertheless managed to complete her journey through a curtain of tears. Again, with an unimaginable script.

With an eagle at 18, Lexi Thompson could still win

At the 18th, despite the shock of the announcement and thanks to the support of her younger brother, the Coral Springs player was in effect putting herself in a putter situation for the eagle. Three meters from the flag, if her ball came in, Lexi won her second ANA Inspiration title after the one already acquired in 2014. This despite the four penalty strokes! It was very close ... It was with a birdie, finally, that Lexi Thompson finished with a card of 67 (274 total with the penalty). Less badly, it still opened the doors of the playoff against the South Korean So Yeon Ryu. All of America, and all the public gathered at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, in the heart of desert California, held their breath.

So Yeon Ryu had already won the US Open in 2011

But Thompson, even going to the end of his mental resources ("I learned a lot about myself and my ability to fight"), could do nothing against So Yeon Ryu, serene, and who found the birdie of the victory from the first hole of this playoff. Ryu could not pass up such a windfall, especially with his pedigree. World number 3 behind Lydia Ko and Ariya Jutanugarn before this first Major of 2017, the 26-year-old young woman thus became world number 2, Ko remaining at the head of the Rolex Rankings. Already winner of the US Open in 2011, Ryu the Korean therefore offers her second title in a Grand Slam tournament. With 405 dollars in bonus for this historic success, she brings her career gains to 000, 7 million dollars and obviously takes the head of the Rolex Annika Major Award (RAMA), ranking which will crown, next September at Evian Championship, the best player of 374 out of the five female Majors.

By being 10th, Karine Icher passes 32nd at the Rolex Rankings

On the French side, Karine Icher, the only tricolor representative this year at ANA Inspiration, signs a very nice place of 10th. No feat for the Castelroussine in the last day at Rancho Mirage but a good card of 72. Which adds to the 67 of her first round (when she had known how to make the most of good morning playing conditions before the strong winds who stopped the afternoon parties). Then at 73 on his second round and at 68 on his third round. Two excellent laps, two laps more in the norm… It is to experience that the 38-year-old player, whose twelfth appearance at the ANA Inspiration, recorded the best ranking of her career in the Californian Major, she who had already been 11th in this tournament in 2015. With this performance, Icher went 32nd worldwide at the Rolex Rankings. Promising for the rest of his season.

By Nathalie Vion