A final round level-par score of 72 was enough to see Ariya Jutanugarn grab the first Major title of her career and make history at Woburn.

South Korea’s Mirim Lee pushed the 20-year-old all the way after Jutanugarn opened up a six-shot lead, but with four holes to play Lee had closed the gap to just one.

Jutanugarn, though, held on to win by three and continue her breakthrough season in fine style claiming her fourth win since the beginning of May.

The 20-year-old started strongly with birdies at the 2nd and 6th, while her playing partner Lee was three over through her first nine holes. However, it all changed on the back nine as Lee fought back with three consecutive birdies at 10,11 and 12 to claw her way to just three behind. All of a sudden the pressure was on Jutanugarn and a costly error on the 13th led to a double bogey.

But the Thai bounced back in fine fashion to hold off her challengers, a  birdie at the 17th giving her a two-shot cushion,  and secure the biggest win of her career to date.

 

Jutanugarn

A bit further down the leaderboard Catriona Matthew tried her best to push herself into contention but never really got her game going. She started well with two quick birdies, but cancelled them out with two bogeys before reaching the turn. There weren’t too many mistakes but the Scot failed to capitalise on some good approaches. She finished on 9-under tied for fifth.

World number four Lexi Thompson was another who never really got going. Birdies were quickly cancelled out by bogeys and at no point was she ever really in contention, even after Jutanugarn gave away some shots on the back nine. The American posted 8-under for the tournament and finished in eighth.

Charley Hull had a much better round compared to Saturday’s showing and was 7-under-par through her first 11 holes. However a double followed by two bogeys put paid to any hopes of posting a phenomenal round and instead had to settle for carding a 69. She finished tied for 18th place.

World number one and two Lydia Ko and Brooke Henderson disappointed with final rounds of 74 and 75  to finish tied 40th and tied 50th respectively.

Read more

Craig Middleton

Handicap: 12

Subscribe to NCG