Jutanugarn sisters to lead Thai challenge at US Open
In-form sisters Moriya and Ariya Jutanugarn will lead the Thai challenge at this week’s US Women’s Open.
In all, seven Thais will play at the year’s second major which tees off today at Shoal Creek Gold and Country Club in Alabama.
The other five are Pornanong Phatlum, Wichanee Meechai, Supamas Sangchan, Saranporn Langkulgasettrin and amateur Papangkorn Tawatthanakit.
Moriya, 23, finished third at the Volvik Championship on Sunday after winning her maiden LPGA title at the LA Open last month.
“I will do my best in this major but I won’t put extra pressure on myself,” said the world No.9.
World No.5 Ariya, who won her eighth tour title at the Kingsmill Championship two weeks ago, has eight top-10 finishes this season.
“I want to win every tournament I play in but if I don’t win I don’t feel disappointed or sad,” said the 22-year- old from Bangkok. “I will go out and have fun.”
Ariya will chase her second major title after winning the 2016 Women’s British Open.
However, she has had poor results at the US Women’s Open, making the cut only once in five appearances.
She finished tied for 16th in this major in 2016.
In the first two rounds, Ariya will play alongside fellow major winner Stacy Lewis of the US, who is expecting her first child in November, and rookie Ko Jin-Young of South Korea, a winner of two LPGA events.
Moriya is grouped with top-ranked Park In-Bee of South Korea, winner of the 2008 and 2013 US Women’s Open, and Chun In- Gee, another Korean won the tournament in her first appearance in 2015.
Park will aim to cement the legacy of compatriot Pak Se-Ri with her eighth major title.
Twenty years ago, Pak blazed a trail for Korean golfers when she stormed to victory in the 1998 US Open, a spectacular triumph that encouraged many of her compatriots to take up the sport.
“Back in ‘98, I was really just a kid,” Park said. “My dad was really a big fan of golf. He was watching golf and watching Se-Ri play. I remember my dad getting really excited very early in the morning.
“After that there was a big golf boom in Korea and a lot of the girls my age were starting to play golf. I was one of them.”
In 1998, Pak was the sole South Korean golfer on the LPGA Tour. There are now more than 50 Koreans on the tour, and last year Korean women picked up three of the five majors.