Ariya two in front in Canada
Late bogeys let Chun close in on Thai star
PRIDDIS: Ariya Jutanugarn missed a chance to take a big lead into the final round of the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, making two late bogeys on Saturday at Priddis Greens.
A week after withdrawing from the Rio Olympics because of a left knee injury, the 20-year-old Thai player bogeyed the par-four 16th and par-five 18th for a fiveunder 67.
“Feeling good,” Ariya said. “I mean, I had two bogeys the last three holes, but I still shot five under, so it’s still good.”
At 17-under 199, she had a two-stroke advantage over South Korea’s Chun In-Gee.
“I keep my eyes on me,’’ Ariya said. “I don’t really care who the leader is, like what I say yesterday. I really want to play my game and be happy on the course.’’
World No.2 Ariya won the Women’s British Open in the event before the Olympics to tie Lydia Ko for the LPGA Tour victory lead with four. After a late meltdown in the major ANA Inspiration in April, the Thai picked up three straight LPGA victories in her breakthrough month in May which is coincidentally her nickname.
“After I won my first tournament, I kind of know how I play under pressure, so I know when I get really excited what I have to do,’’ Ariya said.
Hitting two-iron and three-wood off the tee on the driving holes, Ariya had seven birdies in an 11-hole stretch on Saturday on the tree-lined layout. Chun shot a 66. “I could see the putting lines very well,’’ said Chun, the 2015 US Women’s Open champion. “I was so good at rolling the ball on those lines, and I made really good up-and-downs today. Those really got my game going.’’
South Korea’s Kim Sei-Young and Northern Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow were 12 under. Kim had a 68, and Meadow shot 69.
“Hitting fairways is key,’’ said Meadow, a former Alabama player. “The rough is pretty penal, especially with the greens being so firm, so if you can hit the fairways there’s a lot of wedges into holes here, and if you can kind of dial in your yardages, you’re going to make some birdies.’’
Three-time champion Ko was tied for 10th at 10 under, and Canadian star Brooke Henderson was nine strokes back at eight under after her second straight 68.
“I hit the ball really solid and I gave myself so many looks at birdies, but really not one of them dropped,’’ Ko said after a 70. “When you’re having those kind of days, it’s really hard for you to go low. It was a little bit of a struggle with the putter.’’
Ko won the event three of the last four years, the first two as an amateur. The 19-year-old New Zealander won in 2012 at Vancouver Golf Club at 15 years, 4 months to become the LPGA Tour’s youngest winner and fifth amateur champion. She successfully defended her title in 2013, winning by five strokes in Edmonton. Last year back at Vancouver as a pro, she beat Stacy Lewis in a play-off.