ARIYA JUTANUGARN

U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN

WINNING SCORE: 11-under-par, 277. DEFEATED: Hyo Joo Kim in a four hole playoff. DEFINING MOMENTS: Jutanugarn looked almost impossible to beat as she made the turn in the final round, having added five birdies and a lone bogey to extend her overnight fourshot lead to seven with just nine holes to play. But with Kim playing steady bogey-free golf and in possession of a hot putter, Jutanugarn began to feel the pressure and opened her back nine with a triple-bogey seven, before a bogey at the 12th hole, where Kim, playing in the group ahead, had holed a 40-foot birdie putt.

Kim added another improbable birdie from off the green at the 15th hole, which Jutanugarn matched with a birdie of her own at the par-3 16th to reach 13-under and lead by two.

However, the 22-year-old dropped shots at the final two holes to sign for a back nine 41 and 11-under total, tying the Korean and forcing a two-hole aggregate playoff.

When Kim rolled in a birdie at the 14th, the first playoff hole, it looked like Ariya had let a golden opportunity for another major title go by. But a bogey at the 18th from her opponent allowed Jutanugarn to take the playoff into sudden death with an up-and-down par.

The combatants returned to the 14th, where Kim nearly repeated her efforts, her birdie putt just missing, while Jutanugarn made par from the greenside bunker to extend the match once again.

With both players facing greenside bunker shots as they played the 18th for a third time, the former World No.1 delivered the knockout blow, splashing out to 18-inches to secure a par and the 73rd US Open. WITH THIS VICTORY… : • Jutanugarn claims her second major title and becomes just the fifth player to win both the US Women’s Open and Women’s British Open, which she won in 2016. Joining Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb, Se Ri Pak and Inbee Park in the exclusive club. • The first ever US Open champion from Thailand takes her career earnings beyond $6 million on the LPGA Tour and becomes the first multiple winner of 2018. • Jutanugarn rises to No.2 in the world ranking having dipped as low as 9th since claiming the top spot for the first time in 2017.

“… AFTER THIS WIN I THINK I’LL BE THINKING ABOUT THE RANKING AND TALK ABOUT THAT, BUT I EVEN WANT TO BE NO. 1, I WANT TO INSPIRE ALL THE KIDS IN THAILAND.” – ARIYA JUTANUGARN