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Attending school will never ‘be a bad decision,’ Corpuz says

ASSOCIATED PRESS
                                Allisen Corpuz tees off during the third round of the U.S. Women’s Open golf tournament at the Pebble Beach Golf Links, Saturday, July 8, 2023, in Pebble Beach, Calif.
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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Allisen Corpuz tees off during the third round of the U.S. Women’s Open golf tournament at the Pebble Beach Golf Links, Saturday, July 8, 2023, in Pebble Beach, Calif.

Allisen Corpuz might be the first U.S. Women’s Open champion with an MBA.

Corpuz, who tees off today in the Dana Open in Sylvania, Ohio, decided to stay at USC for a fifth year during the COVID-19 pandemic and earned a master’s degree in global supply chain management.

She was asked what advice she would give juniors who were thinking of turning pro before going to college.

“School, it’s never going to be a bad decision,” said the Punahou alum from Kapolei. “No matter how good you are, I think golf … there’s always a chance you get injured. You never know what’s going to happen. You go to school, at least you’ll have the whole team behind you, and I just think it gives you a lot of time to grow.”

Michelle Wie West turned pro right before her 16th birthday but is as proud as her degree from Stanford as winning the U.S. Women’s Open. Rose Zhang turned pro after her sophomore year and plans to finish her degree at Stanford.

“I was definitely not as smart as I am now at 18, and I know I wasn’t ready,” said the 25-year-old Corpuz. “I’m sure there are girls that are, but they’re very far and few between. It’s just a chance to really grow as a person, have some fun and then start working.”

The work will continue this week as Corpuz plays for the first time since her victory in the U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach, becoming the first American to win the event since Brittany Lang in 2016.

Corpuz’s first LPGA win moved her to No. 6 in the women’s world ranking and to No. 3 in the Solheim Cup standings

The prize money for the Dana Open is $1.75 million, with the winner taking home $262,500. Last week, Corpuz earned $2 million, the largest winner’s share ever in women’s golf history.

Zhang is also in the field. She is the only woman to win the NCAA championship twice. She also made history last month at the Mizuho Americas Open by becoming the first player to win an LPGA tournament in her professional debut in 72 years.

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