The 20-year-old Ariya entered the final round with a two-shot lead and never wavered as she stormed to victory on the Priddis Greens course in Calgary, Alberta. Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn leads on 17 under.
Advertisement
“After I won my first tournament, I feel like I reached my goal”, Jutanugarn said Sunday after her latest trophy presentation.
“It means a lot to play good in front of everybody”, the six-foot-one, long hitter stated.
Ariya, 20, had squandered several golden opportunities before breaking through for her maiden LPGA success in May and followed up by winning her next two starts before adding the Women’s British Open last month.
Ko made five birdies and two bogeys for a three-under par 69, to see her be in a five way tie for fourth.
South Korea’s Sei Young Kim, a two-time victor this year, was second after a 65.
The world No.11 recovered to birdie the 12th and 14th holes to finish at 10-under to be in a tie for 10th with New Zealander Lydia Ko. Chun closed birdie-eagle for a 67. “I just feel like I really want to have fun and be happy on the course”. “I think that’s something that’s gotten better with my game is when it’s not good, I realize, ‘OK, just keep grinding away, it’s going to change, ‘ and the last six holes were great”.
Southeast Asian players dominated the top of the leaderboard Sunday, taking the first three spots.
Ko entered the final round trailing Ariya by seven shots.
World No. 3 Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., matched her best round of the tournament on Saturday with a 4-under 68 to climb into a share of 21st at 8-under alongside fellow Canadian Maude-Aimée Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que. “But yeah, I played good, but obviously there’s some improvement I need to make”.
“Feeling good”, Jutanugarn said. “My goal was top 10”.
Henderson finished tied for seventh and Sharp placed 30th in Rio, where women’s golf made its Olympic debut.
After a late meltdown cost Jutanugarn her first LPGA Tour victory in April in the major ANA Inspiration, the Thai player won three straight events in May.
They’ll morph from the home-country favourites to the home-province favourites.
“Next year in Ottawa is going to be unbelievable”, Henderson said. It was my first LPGA win, and especially in 2012 when I really had no idea, and I wouldn’t have expected it going into Thursday.
“So just know there are expectations, but I’m not going to think about it”.
Advertisement
“That’s awesome”, Sharp said with a grin.
