Ariya Jutanugarn has become a pioneer for women’s golf in Thailand. With her first major championship victory at the RICOH Women’s British Open, she made history as the first from Thailand, male or female, to win a major championship. Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam made history for her country at the 2003 RICOH Women’s British Open where she became the first player from Sweden to achieve the Career Grand Slam on the LPGA Tour. Becoming the first to achieve anything in the game of golf comes with an elevated level of attention, which can present both new opportunities and expectations.
“It will be interesting to see how she handles her newfound fame and her role as a major champion,” Sorenstam told LPGA.com via email about Jutanugarn. “There will always be expectations and demands from your home country. At first it’s very exciting, but as a player you have to be able to manage your time wisely and make sure that you keep your focus. Time will tell.”
While a final round major collapse can cripple the confidence of some players, Jutanugarn demonstrated her ability to quickly learn from mistakes on the course, bouncing back from her loss at the ANA Inspiration in April. After leading for much of the final round, Jutanugarn made bogey on her final three holes to finish fourth behind champion Lydia Ko. But that experience served her well on Sunday at Woburn Golf Club. After making bogey at the ninth hole and a double at the 13th hole to nearly give up her lead, she bounced back with a birdie at the 71st hole to take a two-stroke lead heading to her final hole.
“You have to be patient as it’s a long race,” said Sorenstam. “Keep playing and keep going. It’s important to forget about the mistakes and be positive about the next shots and holes.”
Her victory marked the fourth of the season for Jutanugarn, who also swept the entire month of May on the LPGA Tour, winning three consecutive events: the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic, Kingsmill Championship and the LPGA Volvik Championship.
“She has obviously learned from her mistakes. She has rebounded very well, winning three tournaments in a row in May gave her the confidence and the belief that she is a winner on Tour,” said Sorenstam. “I am sure she got inspired by both Lydia and Brooke, both teenagers winning the first two majors of the year.”
With Jutanugarn’s victory at the RICOH Women’s British Open she became the fourth player this season to qualify for the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award, which is presented following the Evian Championship to the major champion who demonstrated the best performance in 2016. Jutanugarn’s victory lifted her to number two in the standings, just 10 points behind Ko.
“She is playing very well now. She has to be very confident in her game. It’s a busy part of the season coming up with the Olympics and the final major, the Evian Championship. I certainly consider her one of the favorites for the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award.”
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