Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn closed with a 12-foot birdie putt to win the Canadian Women’s Open by four shots and post her fifth victory of 2016.
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After a late meltdown cost Jutanugarn her first LPGA Tour victory in April in the major ANA Inspiration, she broke through in May with three straight victories.
Ariya, who won her first major four weeks ago at the British Open, was leading the Olympic tournament after the first round in Rio before pulling out during the third with a knee injury.
“I don’t think it was 100 percent”, said the Smith Falls sensation, “but it was really close to being really good, which is always fun”.
“My knee hurt so bad last week, but when I got here on Monday and Tuesday, it was getting a lot better”, Jutanugarn said Sunday after collecting a winner’s cheque of $337,500.
Champion Ariya and her Canadian Pacific Open trophy are well guarded by two members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, famous world wide as the Mounties.
Jutanugarn was running hot despite the bitterly cold conditions on the final day. Henderson says she’s not distracted by large galleries and feels energized by the buzz.
“I keep an eye on me”, said Ariya of Bangkok. “To come back here and miss the cut last time and then really dominate and kind of take a little bit back from the course that it took from me in 2009 and be here in front of the hometown crowd, it’s incredible”. “That’s the only key I want to be”. After joining the LPGA Tour in 2015, she has notched up no less than five victories, including three in a row in May earlier this year.
“I just feel like at that time, the only focus, ‘I’m scared to miss the cut”. I just really want to be happy on the course.
Bundled up in a winter jacket between shots with the temperature hovering just above 10 degrees on the final overcast afternoon, the World No.2 matched the tournament record of 23 under set by So Yeon Ryu two years ago at London Hunt in Ontario.
Karrie Webb was the best of the Australians, storming into a share of fifth place with a flawless final round eight under 64, which included four birdies in her last four holes. Maude-Aimee played with my sister growing up, and then Alena and I have become really good friends over the a year ago. “I made some good pars on the first few holes, and then I started to hit some better iron shots and made some putts”. I feel like a lot of expectations.
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.
Canadian star Brooke Henderson shot a 69 to tie for 14th at 11 under.
Ariya has three titles this year on the USLPGA Tour, comprising the Yokohama Tire Classic, Kingsmill Championship and Vilvik Championship.
Reed picked up two victories Sunday at The Barclays.
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Both women felt optimistic about their game as they head to the US$1.6-million Manulife LPGA Classic in Cambridge, Ont., starting Thursday. Her friend, mentor, and fellow Olympian, Alena Sharp rounded off the event with back-to-back 67’s leaving her in fourth place, while Maude-Aimee Leblanc finished T14th with Henderson.
