WOBURN, England Ariya Jutanugarn took the Womens British Open lead Saturday at tree-lined Woburn, almost four months after blowing a late lead in the first major championship of the year.
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She will return to Thailand for rest and practice before the Rio Olympics. And Saturday, she shot a bogey-free 6-under 66 to pull two strokes ahead of Mirim Lee. The South Korean player led after each of the first two rounds, opening 62-71.
Fast forward to Sunday at Woburn and Ariya’s family and friends were spraying her with sparkling water on the 18th green to celebrate the 20-year-old becoming the first player from Thailand to win a major championship. The American had a closing 70.
“The putt at the 17th was a huge relief”.
I just had a toffee.
It was a disappointing day for Scotland’s Catriona Matthew, who was unable to make up the ground she lost on Saturday, finishing as the leading Briton in joint-fifth, seven shots off the pace.
What did she say to her daughter?
“I think I know how to play under pressure”, said Jutanugarn.
However, her struggles returned on Sunday as she made four bogeys for just two birdies.
Martin, one of the shortest hitters in the field, also piled on the pressure, and it was a great effort by the player who couldn’t defend the title at Turnberry previous year due to injury.
She told BBC Sport: “For me it was hard today”.
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 eventually managed to save par but a birdie from the Thai player saw her retake the driving seat heading into the final hole.
Two days after opening with a 12-under 58 to break the Web.com mark and match the lowest score on a substantial tour, the 27-year-old German reached 23-under 187 to break the tour’s 54-hole record for strokes and fall one short of the mark for relation to par.
A three-time champion on the LPGA Tour this season, Juranugarn is pursuing a first Major victory and the Thai golfer will start the final round with a two shot lead on a new 54-hole record 16-under-par 200.
The turnaround for the powerful youngster came when she won three tournaments in a row on the LPGA Tour in May. “I knew when I missed all the cuts that I was only 19 and I had plenty of time”.
Jutanugarn’s older sister, Moriya, had a 75 to tie for 43rd at 3 over.
The long-hitting Jutanugarn had a six-stroke lead over Lee at the turn, but Lee picked up five strokes on the next four holes with three birdies and Jutanugarn’s double bogey on the par-4 13th.
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“I remember when I was like five or something they went to play golf and left the caddie to take care of us”.
