Kim manages to hold off Shadoff
SOUTH KOREAN In-Kyung Kim held off a sensational final-round charge by England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff to win her first Major title in the shape of the Ricoh Women’s British Open.
Kim, 29, looked to be cruising to a seventh LPGA title and her third this summer when she increased her lead to seven shots with a birdie at the first.
But 29-year-old Shadoff refused to give up the chase and eventually reduced Kim’s leads to two shots when she equalled the course-record 64 shared by Michelle Wie and Inbee Park.
Shadoff said: “I tried to stay away from the scoreboard and remain in the moment, hitting as many good shots as I could.
“Starting the day I didn’t think I would have a shot because IK was so far ahead.
“But I started out really strong and then had a great stretch in the middle of the round to get me going.”
Lone Scot Sally Watson bid farewell to tournament golf to focus on acquiring a business degree at Chicago University.
The 26-year-old from Edinburgh signed off with a 76 to finish four-over.
Meanwhile, Solheim Cup captain Annika Sorenstam has denied Scottish veteran Catriona Matthew the chance to make a ninth appearance as a player in the biennial match.
Matthew, 47, from North Berwick, had her heart set on Des Moines, Iowa after making her debut in 1998.
But Sorenstam refused to be swayed by her surroundings when she named her four wildcards at Kingsbarns last night in the wake of the British Open.
Her picks went to rookies Madelene Sagstrom of Sweden and Denmark’s Emile Kristen Pederssen and Swede Anna Nordqvist and Germany’s Caroline Masson.
Although she has been snubbed Matthew will still be one of the assistants.
Sorenstam said: “It was hard to say no to someone who lives for the Solheim Cup. I am happy to have her on the team either way.”