Extreme outsider: Sophia Popov makes the jump from caddy to major winner within three weeks
Image: dpa
Last year Sophia Popov thought about the end of her career. Now she has won the British Open and is the first German major winner. Your Cinderella story features some amazing episodes.
INothing comparable can be found in recent golf history: A blatant outsider who, four weeks ago, was the caddy of her Dutch friend Anne van Dam when the LPGA Tour restarted after the forced Corona break, was the first German to win one of the five majors on Sunday – and that too confidently. “I think it’s an incredible story,” said Sophia Popov after triumphing in the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Troon Golf Club on the west coast of Scotland.
The 27-year-old daughter of an American mother and a German father, who was three shots ahead of the front runner on the final lap, kept her pursuers at a distance in the style of a veteran. In the end she won after a brilliant final round of 68 and a total of 277 strokes (7 under par) with two strokes ahead of the Thai Jasmine Suwannapura (67 and a total of 279 strokes). The Australian world number eight, Minjee Lee, who had completed the last 18 holes together with Sophia Popov, ended up in third place in this traditional tournament, which was held without spectators, four strokes behind (69/281).
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