Jutanugarn leads Ladies Scottish Open
NORTH BERWICK, SCOTLAND >> Trying to follow her sister with a Ladies Scottish Open victory, Moriya Jutanugarn shot a 4-under 67 on Saturday to take a one-stroke lead into the final round at The Renaissance Club.
“Well, it would be, of course, like any win, you always feel great with it and especially like Scotland is Home of Golf, of course,” Jutanugarn said about adding her name a notch below younger sister Ariya’s on the trophy. “I think because she felt like she never played good on a links course, so that’s why she kind of pretty surprised what she had done.”
Ariya Jutanugarn won last year at Gullane.
Moriya Jutanugarn had six birdies and two bogeys on a partly sunny day with the breeze at 5-10 mph and temperatures in the 60s. The Thai player had a 16-under 197 total. She won the HUGEL-JTBC LA Open last year for her first LPGA Tour title.
“Just another pretty solid day,” she said. “Trying to get up-and-down and lots of good chance for birdie, as well.”
South Korean players Jeongeun Lee6 (66) and Mi Jung Hur (70) were tied for second.
Moriya Jutanugarn opened with rounds of 64 and 66 has hit 48 of 54 greens in regulation.
“I’m just trying to play my game and have fun out there,” she said. “Don’t really focus on anything.”
Lee6 won the U.S. Women’s Open in June in South Carolina. She’s a newcomer to links golf.
“This is my first time, and I thought it would be really hard, but actually my shots and my putting strokes were pretty good,” Lee6 said. “So that’s why I’ve been starting playing a lot better than before. But the most part I’m worried about is tomorrow’s weather, because it seems like the forecast, it’s going to rain all day. So we’ll see how that goes.”
Hur shot a 62 in the second round, taking just 24 putts.
“I just want to enjoy my game,” Hur said. “Like I don’t want to get stress from my game because this is my 11th year on the tour, and never helps when you get stress from your game. I’m just going to enjoy my day and talking with a lot of things with my caddie.”
Mi Hyang Lee, the 2017 winner, was fourth at 12 under after a 68.
Ariya Jutanugarn was 10 under with Jane Park, Chella Choi, Anne van Dam and Scotland’s Carly Booth. FEDEX CUP OPENER >> Patrick Reed handled the strong gusts and a drier golf course at Liberty National with a 4-under 67 that gave him a one-shot lead over Abraham Ancer of Mexico going into the final round of The Northern Trust.
Reed has not won since the 2018 Masters, a drought of 39 tournaments worldwide. He won this FedEx Cup playoffs opener three years ago when it was at Bethpage, and it put him on the Ryder Cup team.
Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth, playing in the final group, faltered. Johnson bogeyed four of his last six holes for a 74 to fall five shots behind. Spieth had another rough Saturday, also shooting a 74 that cost him in his bid to salvage his season with a trip to the FedEx Cup finale.