Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn closed with a 12-foot birdie putt to easily win the Canadian Women’s Open by four strokes on Sunday and post her fifth victory of 2016.
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Meanwhile, another local in world number three Brooke Henderson was only good for equal 14th, 12 strokes off the Thai victor.
Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn set her sights on a fifth victory this year as she moved to a three-stroke lead after the second round of the Canadian Women’s Open on Friday.
The 20-year-old had withdrawn from the third round of the Rio Olympics because of pain in her left knee, which had not gone away by the time she reached Calgary for this latest tournament. “I really want to play my game and be happy on the course”, Jutanugarn said.
“I keep my eye on me”, said Jutanugarn when asked if Sunday’s final round will turn into a two-person race between her and Chun. “I feel really happy with myself right now”.
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.
South Korean Kim Sei-young (66) claimed second place on 19 under, with compatriot Chun (69) a shot further back in third.
Incredibly, Jutanugarn’s breakout has occurred in the immediate aftermath of some major heartbreak, a late collapse at the ANA Inspiration in March. “My irons getting a lot better in the last week or so”.
Although she took a bogey at the par-4 16th hole, she ended the day with consecutive birdies at the 17th and 18th holes to finish the round 7-under 65 and the tournament 15-under 269.
“You know, I’ve just got to play my own game”.
Rounding out the top five were Karrie Webb of Australia and Anna Nordqvist of Sweden at 273. Webb won the 1999 du Maurier Classic, the then-major championship that folded because of Canada’s restrictions on tobacco promotions, at Priddis Greens.
The 20-year-old from Thailand erased the women’s course record with an 8-under 64 in her second spin. “Hopefully I’ll get a little bit deeper under par tomorrow and see what happens”.
Ariya Jutanugarn had just bogeyed the finishing hole at Priddis Greens for the second time in three rounds, a surprising development since there is only one other square on her scorecard this week.
“Feeling good”, Jutanugarn said of her play after the round. “But it’s been a great week”.
“I played pretty solid the past few days”, said Ko, who has won the Canadian Open in three of the past four years including last year at the Vancouver Golf Club in Coquitlam, B.C. The 19-year-old New Zealander won in 2012 at Vancouver Golf Club at 15 years, 4 months to become the LPGA Tour’s youngest victor and fifth amateur champion. “We recently became members at the Ottawa Hunt, so it’s my home golf course”. “It’s only 45 minutes from my house”.
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“I feel like I’m okay”. And on the PGA Tour Champions, a 59-year-old Berhard Langer is still dominating those young 50-year-olds to the tune of four titles.
