Moriya eyes elusive LPGA title as new season starts
Moriya Jutanugarn targets a breakthrough win this year as the 2018 season begins at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic today.
The 23-year-old from Bangkok has come close to winning on the LPGA Tour in several tournaments, including the 2017 Evian Championship.
She led after two rounds at the major event, which was reduced to three rounds due to bad weather.
She held a three-shot lead after 12 holes in the final round only to fade in the home stretch to finish joint third.
“My aim remains the same — try to win my first LPGA title,” said world No.22 Moriya.
She is the only player ranked in the top 25 in this week’s field who is yet to win on the elite circuit.
Motivated by her younger sister Ariya’s success, Moriya elevated her game in 2017 when she recorded 11 top-10 finishes and led the tour in birdies with 428, 25 more than second-ranked Brooke Henderson of Canada.
In order to find success this week, she’ll need to rely on the same skill that helped her navigate a windy Kingsbarns Golf Links, site of last year’s Women’s British Open, where she put herself in contention heading into the final day before struggling to a final-around 75.
Winds are predicted this weekend at the Ocean Club Golf Course where Moriya finished tied for 16th last year.
Ariya, who has won seven LPGA titles, said she and Moriya were well-prepared for the new season. “I am ready for the new season,” said Ariya, who is still the only Thai winner on the LPGA Tour.
“I will go out to play golf and have fun, and try to get something to make me proud of myself.”
Like Moriya, Pornanong Phatlum, 28, will try to win a maiden title.
“I am ready and feel confident. I want to win my first title,” she said.
“My target for the whole season is to be in the top 20 on the money list.”
The star-studded field at the Bahamas tournament is led by world No.1 Feng Shanshan of China who won twice in the final five weeks of 2017.
The 28-year-old f rom Guangzhou became the first golfer from China, man or woman, to reach the world No.1 spot in November after winning the Japan Classic and Blue Bay LPGA title in China in backto-back weeks.
Also in the tournament are South Koreans Park Sung-Hyun, the reigning US Women’s Open champion; Ryu So-Yeon, the 2017 ANA Inspiration champion; and Kim In-Kyung, last year’s Women’s British Open winner.