Ariya, Sherman shine brightly
INCHEON: Thailand shot to the top of Pool B after claiming three of four possible points over Japan on the opening day of the UL International Crown team golf tournament yesterday.
US Women’s Open champion Ariya Jutanugarn and debutant Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong defeated Misuzu Narita and Mamiko Higa 2 and 1. Japan salvaged a point against Ariya’s sister Moriya and Pornanong Phatlum thanks to a birdie on No.18 that halved the game.
Ariya said she tried to make partner Sherman loosen up a bit after their first tee shots at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon, where 32 of the best female golfers from the eight top-ranked countries teed off at the LPGA team event.
“I’m like, our goal is we’re not going to be scared. We’re just going to hit, because I trust you,” she said. “You have to trust me. Like, don’t be scared.”
The United States had a mixed start, splitting the fourballs against Sweden.
Cristie Kerr and Lexi Thompson gave the US a winning start against Pernilla Lindberg and Madelene Sagstrom with a 2-up score.
The defending champions’ other pairing, Michelle Wie and Jessica Korda, had a disastrous start, however, and was 4 down after five holes against Anna Nordqvist and Caroline Hedwall. The American pair rallied to reach all square by the 13th hole, only to lose 2-up.
The results left the US and Sweden with two points each in Pool B.
Hosts South Korea collected a maximum four points with two wins over Taiwan as the pre-tournament favourites topped Pool A. World No.1 and two-time major winner Park Sung-Hyun and 10th-ranked Kim InKyung beat Candie Kung and Phoebe Yao of Taiwan 1-up.
The victory was followed by a 2-up win by South Korea’s Ryu So-Yeon and Chun In-Gee over Taiwan’s Teresa Lu and Hsu Wei-Ling, giving the hosts four points.
“We did struggle a bit on the front nine but I think we pulled out the win because we were really supporting each other the entire way,” said world No.3 Ryu after the win.
England trailed South Korea in second place with three points, followed by Australia with one point.
The fourth-seeded England team took three of four points from fifth-seeded Australia, with Bronte Law and Jodie Ewart Shadoff birdieing the fourth and fifth holes to move ahead against Katherine Kirk and Su Oh.
Successive birdies from Shadoff on the
ninth and 10th holes extended the lead before both Kirk and Oh bogeyed 15 to give the English a 4 and 3 win.
The other game between England’s Charley Hull and Georgia Hall and Australia’s Minjee Lee and Sarah Jane Smith ended all square.
After three days of fourballs, the top two teams from each pool and one wildcard team will advance to the singles event on Sunday, after which the team with the most points will claim the title. Teams get two points for a win and one if the match is halved.
Due to fears that Typhoon Kong-rey could hit the Korean peninsula over the weekend, organisers hope to complete two rounds today in an attempt to finish the tournament tomorrow.