Ariya Jutanugarn (-15) shot a final round 5-under, 67 to capture her third consecutive LPGA win by five strokes at the LPGA Volvik Championship on Sunday.
Jutanugarn became the first player in Tour history to have the first three wins of her career come in consecutive tournaments. She is also the first player since Inbee Park in 2013 to win three LPGA tournaments in a row.
“Feel good,” Jutanugarn described with a smile. “I mean, this year I just really want my goal is just like win a tournament so I win like three in a row quick.”
Jutanugarn was bogey-free in her final round. After managing only one birdie through her first 12 holes, the Bangkok native holed four birdies over a five hole stretch before closing out the win with a par on the 18th.
“After front nine, I mean front nine I really excited and nervous and I don’t even think like what I have to do, I just feel like I don’t want to have bogey, I don’t want to miss left or miss right,” explained Jutanugarn. “And back nine I just feel like okay, I just have to do what is under my control and it just give me a lot better.”
Jutanugarn is expected to rise to No. 10 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, which would be the first time she’s been ranked in the top-10 in her career. She said the key to her strong performance this season has been learning how to better handle pressure on the golf course.
“I think last year I have chance to win like few tournament last year but I didn’t learn like how to play with pressure, like I didn’t know how to play golf. But this year, like especially last few week so I learn and I know how to play under pressure.”
First round leader Christina Kim (-10) birdied the 18th hole to capture solo second place honors with a final round 71. It was Kim’s first top-10 finish of the season and her best result since winning the 2014 Lorena Ochoa Invitational.
“Second place, third place, you know, you ain’t first you’re last,” said Kim. “I was just really focused on trying to hit good shots and good putts and then let all of the pieces fall in together.”
Rounding out the top five were Jutanugarn’s Sunday playing partner Jessica Korda (-9), Canadian Brooke Henderson (-9) and Belen Mozo (-8).
FELLOW PLAYERS IN AWE OF JUTANUGARN
Ariya Jutanugarn has quickly become the hottest player on the LPGA Tour, and her peers are certainly taking notice. Veteran Christina Kim, one of Jutanugarn’s mentors on Tour, said the way the 20-year-old hits the ball is “remarkable” and couldn’t think of any other player like Jutanugarn in her generation.
“She’s going to be unstoppable,” said Kim of the 2016 LPGA Volvik Championship winner. “And it’s such an exciting time for the LPGA and for the game of golf. I could be her mother, you know, she’s so young, but she’s just such a remarkable young woman. She’s kind and she’s got a beautiful smile. Honestly, I can’t say enough about her.”
American Jessica Korda played with Jutanugarn in the final round and said she almost looked bored as she won in dominant fashion.
“She sat down on like 16 tee and 18 tee, sitting, chilling in the shade,” Korda said. “Told me to come sit down next to her like we were having a picnic.”
Korda didn’t see any sign of Jutanugarn slowing down and agreed when asked if she thought Jutanugarn would be the favorite in two weeks at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, the season’s second major championship.
“She’s really great. She’s a great golfer. As long as she can keep that ball in play off the tee, watch out. Keep watching out.”
BROOKE HENDERSON RETURNS TO TOP-10 FORM
Brooke Henderson carded a final round 68 to finish tied for third place at the Volvik Championship. Henderson, who had a streak of eight consecutive top-10 finishes earlier this season, had been outside of the top-10 in her three starts prior to this week.
“Overall it was a solid week,” said Henderson. “It’s always nice to see your name up near the top of the leaderboard and it’s been a few weeks since that happened for me, so today was definitely a solid day for me. I missed some opportunities, but I also made up for a couple here on the back nine, so overall I’m happy.”
The No. 6 ranked player in the Rolex Rankings will tee it up again next week at Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club as the LPGA Tour heads to Galloway, New Jersey for the ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer. She’ll look to post another solid result as she faces off against a field full of former champions including Anna Nordqvist (2015), Stacy Lewis (2014, 2012), Karrie Webb (2013), Ai Miyazato (2010) and Angela Stanford (2003).
“There’s definitely things I have to work on going into next week. Some silly mistakes early in the week and even today a couple, but overall I’m very happy with how things are going and hopefully just be able to finish it off in the near future.”
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