MORIYA BREAKTHROUGH IN LA
Thai celebrates maiden win with sibling, former World No 1 Ariya
THAI golfer Moriya Jutanugarn finally joined her sister Ariya in the winner’s circle, closing with a three-under 68 on Sunday to capture the LA Open.
The 23-year-old Moriya’s win by two strokes means that the Bangkok siblings join Annika and Charlotta Sorenstam as the only sisters to win on the USLPGA Tour.
Moriya was at a loss for words as she celebrated the win on the 18th green of the Wilshire Country Club with her family members and friends.
“My sister is crying more than me,” said Moriya as she wiped tears of joy.
“I can’t tell you what I feel right now.”
Ariya, 22, watched the final putt drop from just off the green as she stood with her arm around their mother. When Moriya sank her putt to reach a 12-under 272 total, Ariya skipped onto the green and shared a long emotional hug with her older sister.
Park In-bee, who will return to the No 1 ranking in the world yesterday, shot a 68 to finish in a tie with fellow Korean Ko Jin-young who had a 70.
Ryu So-yeon finished alone in fourth at seven-under 277, five strokes adrift of Moriya.
Ji Eun-hee shot a 71 and tied for fifth with Emma Talley as four of the top six players were from South Korea to the delight of the large Korean expat crowd that was in attendance.
But the day belonged to Moriya, who won on her 156th start and was joined in celebration by another Thai, Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong, who shot a 69 and finished in a season-best ninth place.
Former world No 1 Ariya has been the conquering hero over the past two years, becoming the first player from Thailand to win a major championship when she claimed the 2016 British Open.
Even before Sunday’s win, Moriya put her own stamp on the Tour, winning the rookie of the year award six years ago.
On Sunday, Moriya turned up the heat on the back nine, making birdies on four holes beginning at the par-three 12th.
Her only blemish of the day was a bogey on 16, but she recovered to par the final two holes.
Seven-time major champion Inbee is poised to regain the world No 1 spot when the rankings come out on Monday. World number three In-bee needed to finish in the top six and have current No 1 Feng Shanshan of China place where she did in a tie for 12th.
Meanwhile, Andrew Landry held off Trey Mullinax in a battle of Americans seeking their first US PGA Tour title to win the Texas Open by two strokes on Sunday.
Landry, a 30-year-old Texan, closed with seven consecutive pars but needed to escape a lasthole drama before taking his breakthrough victory with a final-round four-under par 68 to finish 72 holes on 17-under 271 at TPC San Antonio.
Mullinax settled for a share of second with countryman Sean O’Hair on 273 with American Jimmy Walker fourth on 274 and two-time major winner Zach Johnson fifth, another stroke adrift.