Calm Kim holds off Ewart Shadoff ’s stunning late surge
Yorkshirewoman equals course record with 64 South Korean stays cool to win the British Open
Jodi Ewart Shadoff produced one of the great rounds by an English golfer in the final round of a major, but the course record-equalling 64 still left her two short of In-kyung Kim at the Women’s British Open.
What an effort this was by the 29-year-old from North Yorkshire, cruising around Kingsbarns with eight birdies and 10 pars. Starting nine behind Kim – the Korean was long overdue her win – there was never a big chance she would catch the runaway pacesetter.
But she gave it her valiant best to reach 16 under and, with her three being three shots clear of her com- patriot Georgia Hall, America’s Michelle Wie and Germany’s Caroline Masson in third, Ewart Shadoff had plenty of consolation to take home.
The runner-up prize was £230,000, more than twice her biggest cheque to date, but what meant more was securing a second appearance at the Solheim Cup, which starts on Friday week in Des Moines. Coming into the Open in the last of the eight automatic berths, it would have been cruel if the Europe captain, Annika Sorenstam, had overlooked her if she had failed to hold on. After all, Ewart Shadoff was so impressive in the 2013 match in Denver, where the US were beaten for the first time on home soil.
In the event, Ewart Shadoff did not require the patronage of the great Swede, joining Charley Hull, Mel Reid and Hall in the dozen. However, the Scot, Catriona Matthew, missed out on a wild card and instead will be one of Sorenstam’s assistant captains. The US captain Juli Inkster will have been delighted that Wie forced her way in, because on the evidence of her final-round 66 – and, of course, her opening 64 – the former girl wonder is re-approaching her very best. It should be some clash in Iowa.
Ewart Shadoff said: “The Solheim was very important to me here. I missed the cut last week at the Ladies Scottish Open, so my confidence wasn’t that high coming in. It’s been a huge shift of self-belief. I love match play, I love being in a team environment and I love playing for Europe.”
Ewart Shadoff has a transatlantic twang, having attended college in New Mexico and remained Stateside ever since. But part of her heart will always remain in Middleham, the horse racing town where her father, Harvey, works for classic-winner Mark Johnston. The trainer’s charges are famous for giving their all; indeed the motto of the yard is “Always Keep Trying”. Well,
Ewart Shadoff did that. Her husband, Adam, is a TV sports presenter in Orlando and Ewart Shadoff was asked if she expected to feature heavily on his highlights programme. “There will be trouble if I’m not,” she said, with a smile. In truth, it would have taken a huge editing job to decide on the best bits. There were that many.”
After birdieing the par-five second, she got into her stride with five birdies on the trot from the sixth. There were two more to come, on the 13th and 17th, before the wait to see if Kim could hang on. However, she was hardly hopping on the spot as Kim finished with a one-under 71.
Ewart Shadoff said: “I didn’t think I’d have a shot. I holed a great putt on the first for par and then my putting was on fire. I said to myself at the start to take the opportunities when I got them and I did.”
Kim was a worthy champion, taking the lead from the second round and gaining belated redemption for her infamous major miss five years ago.
At the 2012 Kraft Nabisco Championship, Kim had a 14in putt to win but was eventually beaten in the play-off by fellow Korean, Sunyoung Yoo.
“It’s been a long process,” Kim, 29, said. “My team have helped me to enjoy golf again. I now know to give every effort to every shot. A three-foot putt is just as important as any shot, and that’s what I learned from that mistake.”
Hall was Kim’s closest pursuer going into the final round, but could only muster a 70. Still, the 21-year-old from Bournemouth had a cheque for more than £130,000 to celebrate – quite easily her biggest payday – as well as her Solheim debut. “I want to show people how in form I am,” Hall said. “I can’t wait to get out there. It will be the highlight of my career.”