“It’s a dogleg left and, with the wind blowing left to right and the pin tucked on the left, it was probably the toughest it’ll play”.
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“The longer we were out here, I think we were physically and mentally all getting a little exhausted, but I said hey, the ball is big enough to fit in the hole”.
She spent most of last season having to play in Monday qualifying rounds to get into tour events because, at 17, she was too young to be a tour regular.
The 19-year-old won the LPGA’s Marathon Classic in OH on Monday morning, needing all of her trademark composure to survive a four-hole play-off.
It was Ko’s short game which helped her on the final two holes, as she was able to chip close to the hole with both of her third shots on the par fives. Jutanugarn had chances to win on the first two playoff holes, missing birdie putts of 14 and 8 feet. ‘Maybe I’m going to win.’ And it slipped by.
Jutanugarn birdied the final three holes for a 66.
“I think we were all getting a little bit physically and mentally exhausted as we were continuing to play the same hole”, said Ko. “I’ve been just kind of grinding away, and hopefully I’ll be able to keep at it the next few days”.
“If I can put some good shots and put myself in good positions to make birdies and put good strokes on it, that’s all I can do”.
One that got away from Ko at the 18th.Kim also seemed to get a kick out of their rousing finish to the front nine, but the fun ride ended there for Ko, as Kim birdied the 10th for her fourth in a row and made two more at 14 and 17 in a bogey-free round that took her to 15-under 198.
Ariya Jutanugarn, the long-hitting Thai player who won three straight events in May, was a stroke back at 67 along with American Kelly Shon and France’s Celine Herbin.
“I missed those two cuts, consecutive two cuts back in MI and Arkansas”, said Shon.
Kim was pleased with her round.
Toledo-born Stacy Lewis finished in fifth place at 11 under. Born in the area, the Texan is winless in 56 starts since taking the North Texas LPGA Shootout in June 2014 for her 11th tour victory. With the last putt I said deja vu, I just had it not long ago.
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Alison Lee and Ha Na Jang were one shot behind the leaders in a tie for second at 7 under.
