The Loop

Another rules infraction mars a national championship as Anna Nordqvist is assessed a penalty in U.S. Women's Open playoff

Brittany Lang has won the U.S. Women's Open in a playoff over Anna Nordqvist, but not without another rules controversy marring a golf national championship.

In the second hole of a three-hole aggregate playoff between Lang and Anna Nordqvist, video replays detected Nordqvist grounding her club in a fairway bunker along the 17th hole at CordeValle Golf Club in San Martin, Calif. She was notified she was assessed a two-stroke penalty after hitting her approach shot on the par-5 18th holes. The penalty proved the difference as Lang claimed her first major championship.

"Obviously that was very disappointing," Nordqvist said. "I didn't do it on purpose. It's hard to lose that way, but that's the game of golf."

Both Nordqvist and Lang finished 72 holes at six-under 282, and led the field by two strokes. Nordqvist of Sweden shot a five-under 67, the best score of the day. She chased six shots up the leaderboard to enter the playoff.

Lang shot one under on the day, though she led by a stroke after 16 holes. A bogey on 17 cost her the lead, and put her at a tie with Nordqvist at six under.

Lydia Ko struggled in the final round, shooting a three-over 75. The 19-year-old no. 1 player entered Sunday as the leader by a stroke, but will be forced to settle with a T-3 at four under.