It’s the picture that sped around the globe, a candid still image that went viral because of where and when it was taken and how well it typified one of the most likable and talented players in the game.
Alena Sharp, a 14-year LPGA veteran from Canada, took the picture. Like a lot of the pros, she hung around Hazeltine National last week to watch another thrilling finish to the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. With a section of the gallery roped off for players to exit to scoring, Sharp had a perfect vantage point to shoot Hannah Green making the final 4-footer for the win.
But what Sharp’s photo caught in the background generated all the buzz. Standing on the edge of the green, Ariya Jutanugarn, who started the final round one shot out of the lead but shot 77 on Sunday to finish tied for 10th, put her arm around Lizette Salas and smiled like one of the little girls who filled the Minneapolis gallery. It was perfect. Jutanugarn had been the odds-on favorite for the previous 24 hours. In fact, on the practice tee as the final three...
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