Catriona Matthew insists she is still in the hunt for the Women’s British Open, despite going into the final round at Woburn on Sunday six shots behind leader Ariya Jutanugarn.
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“I feel a lot more comfortable”, Jutanugarn said. She chipped in from 90 feet for birdie on No. 8 and made a 30-footer on 10 on the Marquess Course, the hilly, forest layout that is a big change from the usual seaside links.
Jutanugarn’s words certainly ring true, with the Bangkok native having held the 54-hole lead in each of her three wins earlier this year.
The 20-year-old missed out on major glory when she dropped shots at each of the last three holes after leading by two strokes with three to play at the ANA Inspiration in California in April.
Of the other Australians Sarah Jane Smith, continues a good week and an overall good season, adding a 3rd round of 70 to be in a share of 11th position and on track for her best major championship finish. The American won the 2014 tournament at Royal Birkdale.
Matthew, who started the day six behind Jutanugarn, started well with birdies at the 2nd and 4th, but inconsistency dogged her round thereafter. Kung shot a third-round 70, while Lu had a 71.
‘It’s possible. If Ariya plays like that she will be tough to catch but I will just try to make as many birdies as I can’.
“This is really important for me and for golf in Thailand”, said Jutanugarn, whose next stop is the Olympic Games in Rio.
At the time, she said she was “really nervous” and got a lot of experience from it. She put the hard lessons to use in May, winning three straight events to become the LPGA Tour’s first Thai champion. The mother of two will be 46 years, 11 months and 6 days old on Sunday and she would set the all-time record for oldest player to win a major if she claims her second Women’s British Open title on Sunday.
A double-bogey at the 13th threatened Jutanugarn’s chances as her rival closed to within one shot.
A household name back home in Thailand, Jutanugarn grew up admiring Tiger Woods – as she pointed out, he has Thai heritage – and she has already carved out her own little bit of history. She won at St. Andrews in 2013. The 72-hole mark is 269 by Karen Stupples in 2004 at Sunningdale.
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Despite being under pressure, she kept her composure through to the last, and is now hoping to inspire the next generation of golfers. “It was not too bad a day, but I’m disappointed”.
