Victory for Kim, Nordqvist just misses out and a new World No 1
Anna Nordqvist came up two shots short of a hat-trick of wins at the Shoprite LPGA Classic as In-Kyung Kim picked up her fifth win on the LPGA Tour.
This was just the sixth start for the Korean having spent much of last year and some of 2017 recovering from falling down the stairs but she managed a two-under 69 to beat the Swede by two. Nordqvist was right in the hunt after three birdies in the first 11 holes but a bogey at 15 slowed her chances and she was unable to make any further progress.
Kim said: “I really didn’t expect (to win) right away, but I knew my game was better than last year. My trainer, my coach, they had to change so many plans for me because so many things happened last winter.”
And after 84 weeks we have a new World No 1 as Ariya Jutanugarn took over the top spot from Lydia Ko. Both players had taken the week off but when So Yeon Ryu missed the cut (she needed to finish third or better) it was a sure thing that the Women’s British Open would take over from Ko.
Jutanugarn is the 10th golfer to reach No.1 since the Rolex Rankings were first established.
And Michelle Wie shot a joint best-of-the-day 65 to tie for third, her third top 10 of the year.
Wie has played in the last four Solheim Cups and she gave herself a big boost ahead of the matches in August.
“I’m stalking the list for sure. I’m trying to get as many points as I can and trying to get up there and make the team,” she said. “After a missed cut last week you always have things creeping up in your head giving you a bit of doubt, but it felt good out there today to crush all of (the doubt) and keep building momentum.”
