Life’s a beach and then you fly
Champ Ariya vows to shake off sickness for title push
DEFENDING Ricoh Women’s British Open champion Ariya Jutanugarn will have to shrug off injury and illness if she’s to retain her crown at Kingsbarns.
The 21-year-old from Thailand is suffering from a combination of a shoulder problem and a heavy cold.
She said: “My shoulder was getting better but last week it started to hurt again a little bit.
“I had surgery before so sometimes when I hit a bad shot it hurts. I have a personal physio. I also have a cold and I don’t feel very good so it’s difficult to smile.”
Despite her health issues, big-hitting Jutanugarn intends to follow the same script as 12 months ago.
Back then she became the first player from Thailand to win a Major by leaving her driver in her locker.
She said: “When it’s windy, I feel it’s pretty hard to control my driver so I think this week I’m going to use my 3-wood and 2-iron.”
Jutanugarn has become a huge star in her homeland and is recognised everywhere.
But she still has a bit to go to match the status achieved by another former world No.1, seven-time Major winner Inbee Park of South Korea.
The 29-year-old sparked a fresh boom in women’s golf when she was crowned Olympic champion in Rio and Park, aiming to complete a Scottish double following her win at Turnberry two years ago, has been astonished by the impact her achievement has had worldwide.
She said: “People come up to me saying, ‘Oh, I didn’t know the rules of golf before but I know now because of you.
“There are a lot of them, like the lady at the restaurant or the guy at the gas station. People come up and say, ‘Oh, you’re Inbee Park. I watched golf for the first time because of you.’ It’s changed, definitely.”
Park threatens to be a force at Kingsbarns, especially if the weather turns nasty.
She said: “I’m used to playing golf in cold weather and windy conditions as we play a lot in the wintertime in Korea, even in snow at minus 10 degrees.”