“I feel like I’m going to withdraw this week because my knee hurt so bad last week”, Jutanugarn told The Associated Press.
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“I haven’t played well at the Canadian Open since 2007, so this means a lot to me to get a good start”, said Sharp, a 35-year-old from Hamilton who bee-lined to Calgary after representing Canada in Rio.
Ariya Jutanugarn rebounded from disappointment at the Olympic Games to win the LPGA’s Canadian Open on Sunday.
Five players, including world number one Lydia Ko, are a further shot back at eight under and will all be eyeing a charge for the trophy over the weekend. After a late meltdown in the major ANA Inspiration in April, Jutanugarn picked up the nickname “May” with three straight victories in the breakthrough month.
“After I won my first tournament, I feel like I reached my goal, and after that I feel like I don’t care like what my ranking going to be”. “After I win like three tournaments in a row, I really strayed. The only thing I want to be is I really want to be happy on the course”. “That’s the only key I want to be right now”. Using just a 2-iron and 3-wood from the tee on the par-4s and 5s, the long-hitting Women’s British Open Champion never looked like she would surrender her lead at any stage.
Rounding out the top five were Karrie Webb of Australia and Anna Nordqvist of Sweden at 273.
The 20-year-old from Thailand erased the women’s course record with an 8-under 64 in her second spin.
“On the back nine, everything went in”, Webb said.
“Obviously I would love to win this tournament again, but if you scale it up, I think there is more pressure and expectation because you have won this tournament, three times in my case”, Ko said upon completing her round. “But it’s been a great week”. She has battled through injuries and low points over the past three years, but credits a change within herself for her recent stretch of improved play.
Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., and Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., tied for 14th at 11-under for the tournament.
“I had massive crowds today and it was so much fun to play in front of them”, Henderson said. “It’s only 45 minutes from my house”.
Around this time past year, Jutanugarn wasn’t in the same place mentally.
From left, Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand, Kim Sei-young of Korea and her compatriot Chun In-gee at the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open in Calgary, Canada, on Sunday.
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Jutanugarn was the leader after the opening round there. Jutanugarn leapfrogged Brooke Henderson for the No. 2 slot at the end of July, along the way also leaving Olympic golf medal victor Inbee Park, Lexi Thompson and Kim in her dust.
