Thailand’s Ariya Jatunagarn won the US$2.25 million (B86.6mn) Canadian Pacific Open going away early this morning (Thailand time) with a four-shot victory over her nearest opponent.
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After representing Thailand at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, where she had to withdraw with a knee injury, her return to the LPGA garnered a second straight win on Tour. “I feel like I’m in great position to have a good weekend and happy to be playing this well in front of the home crowd, really”.
“I don’t think I’ll change my gameplan”, Ko said.
Ariya enters the third round of the LPGA tournament three strokes ahead of In Gee-chun of Korea and Stephanie Meadow of Northern Ireland.
Another highlight of Uehara’s final round five-under 67 was a hole-out for an eagle from 150 yards on the par-four fourth. Meadow had a 69. Her second-round score could have been lower, but Sharp three-putted for par from just off the green on the par-5 seventh, three-putted for bogey from 20 feet on the par-3 eighth and failed to covert a 10-footer for birdie on the par-4 ninth to close out her round. “To me, it’s a little bit narrow and I can’t hit my driver”.
Three-time champion, New Zealand’s Lydia Ko was four strokes back at eight under. “But when I got here on Monday and Tuesday, it’s getting a lot better, and first round it’s fine”. “There’s still a lot of golf to be played”.
Like Kim, Chun had just come out of the Olympics last week and was determined to take her second career win in the LPGA at the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open.
After a late meltdown cost Ariya her first LPGA Tour victory in April in the major ANA Inspiration, she broke through in May with three consecutive victories.
The second-ranked Jutanugarn began the second round with birdies on Nos.
“My tee shots, pretty good all week”, she said.
“I can’t really describe how great it feels to play this well in Canada, because I have not played well at the Canadian Open in recent years”, reflected Sharp, who missed the cut in 2009 – the last time the Canadian Women’s Open was in Calgary.
After the round, Henderson spoke to reporters about the difficulties of balancing the tournament itself and her other commitments as a representative of her nation.
“I really want to make the cut”. “But hopefully have another good round tomorrow and be in contention on Sunday on the last nine holes and have a shot at it”.
Ariya posted seven birdies from the fourth through the 14 holes. The 18-year-old Henderson beat Ko in a playoff in June in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship for her first major title, and successfully defended her Cambia Portland Classic title last month. This time a year ago she was struggling to find form and missed 10 cuts in a row but she says a change of attitude has helped her start to win tournaments.
South Korea’s Sei Young Kim (67), Hyo Joo Kim (67), Mi Jung Hur (69) and Chella Choi (71) matched Ko at 8 under.
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Gene Sauers, the second-round leader and U.S. Senior Open victor two weeks ago, shot a 72 to finish a shot out of the playoff.
