Sisters push each other on tough day
Neither Moriya Jutanugarn nor younger sister Ariya shot lights out on Saturday. They didn’t have to. No one else did either.
On a day when scores were high on the Cypress Creek Course at Champions Golf Club, par was your friend. Only two of 66 golfers broke par. The leaders didn’t separate themselves, and the siblings from Thailand played just well enough to remain in contention at the U.S. Women’s Open.
Moriya shot a 1-over 72 and Ariya put together a 3-over 74. It doesn’t sound like much, but when the two begin Sunday’s final round, they will be in the top 10 and within striking distance of leader Hinako Shibuno (-4). Moriya shares third at 1 under. Ariya is tied for ninth at 1 over.
“Getting up and down around this golf course is not easy,” said Moriya, who has carded rounds of 68-7272 and will be in Sunday’s final pairing with Shibuno and Amy Olson.
“Even more tough when I play with my sister,” said Ariya, who has posted scores of 70-70-74. “Actually it’s a pretty tough day today. Especially the course is pretty wet and we got a lot of mud on the ball, so it was pretty tough to control the ball flight.”
In an unusual situation, the sisters were paired in the same grouping along with Stacy Lewis. They’ve played in the same pairing in tournaments before. But this was the first time they played together in a major.
“Well first thing last night we got a text from my friends and say, ‘Please don’t fight on the golf course.’ We don’t fight, but we just kind of like complaining to each other a little bit today,” Moriya said. “I mean everyone had a tough day. But I still enjoy it, I enjoy playing with my sister.”
Ariya started her round at 2 under and got as high as minus-4 when she birdied No. 5. But she faltered on the closing nine, making double bogey on 11 and bogeying the final hole.
“I’m pretty stressed today, because I didn’t hit the ball that good,” Ariya said. “But also I played with my sister and I’m rooting for her and I’m really happy about her game. It’s so much fun.”
Moriya also got as high as 4 under. Beginning the round at 2 under, Moriya birdied the par-5 13th hole to get to minus-4. After bogeying the 14th hole, she doubled-bogeyed the par 4 No. 17 to slip to 1 under.
“It’s like I got one bad break and just one bad hole and everything’s pretty solid, but I don’t know, it’s just like I just think like all the majors you have to be patient and just take it when you can,” Moriya said.
Friday’s rain saturated the course and Saturday’s cooler temperature restricted the distance of the golf ball. Playing a muddy golf ball also hindered the opportunity for low scores.
The lift, clean and place rule was not in place on Saturday.
Ariya is shooting for her third win in a major. Moriya is looking for her second professional win.
Ariya said she wasn’t distracted playing with her older sister. She was able to concentrate on her own game and pull for her sister at the same time.
“She’s been playing so well, her game is really solid,” said Ariya, who easily outdrove her sister off the tee. “Every time after I hit my tee shot, I look back, she’s like 30 (yards) behind, but she hit it closer. And then when I hit on the green, she make the putt and I miss the putt.
“So it’s kind of made me feel like I have to work on a lot of things, I have to improve my game after I play with her.”
Ariya, 25, is the more heralded of the two, winning two majors — the 2016 AIG Women’s British Open and the 2018 U.S. Women’s Open.
Moriya comes into the final round in a share of third place. Her top finish in a major championship is a share of third in the 2017 Evian.