EVIAN-LES-BAINS – Much of the talk about Ariya Jutanugarn’s success on Tour has been about how it will grow the game in her home country of Thailand, but the person who perhaps has been the most inspired by all she has accomplished is right in her own home.
Moriya Jutanugarn has enjoyed a front row seat to her sister’s success over the last two seasons and been her biggest cheerleader. And while Moriya was the first of the duo to join the Tour, it was Ariya who first learned to win, breaking out with five victories in 2016 including her first major title. Sunday, as Moriya chases her first career win she also has a chance to make history. With a victory at the Evian Championship, Moriya would cement the Jutanugarns in golfing history as the only pair of siblings to win major titles on the LPGA Tour.
“She won a major last year,” Moriya said of her sister’s victory at the Ricoh Women’s British Open. “I'm really happy for her. I try to keep working on my game, keep improve whatever I can. It's just like my big goal, as I always say, I want to win my first tournament.”
This season, Moriya stepped out of her sister’s shadow with eight top-10s that fueled her growing confidence to win and patience in her belief that it will come, when the time is right. That’s what Ariya reminds her and what she likely told her after Moriya played in the final group on Sunday at the Ricoh Women’s British Open where she struggled to a three-over par, 75.
“Playing in the final group you always get experience, even British Open or other tournament,” said Moriya. “I just want to do my best and just play my game and don't worry about anything, just do anything under my control, and it should turn out good.”
Saturday, the 2013 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year will sleep on the lead in a major championship for the first time in her career. She leads by one-stroke lead ahead of Ayako Uehara, who fired a five-under par, 66 for her low round in this championship. Her previous best finish in Evian was a tie for 17th in 2011, before the event was a major. Katherine Kirk is in the hunt for her second win of the season, she sits solo third at seven-under par.
A pack of major champions will be chasing from three-strokes back on Sunday. Lydia Ko, In-Kyung Kim and Sung Hyun Park are within striking distance at six-under par. Park, who blitzed the field on Friday with a 63, failed to give herself many looks at birdie on day two and required 31 putts en route to a two-over par, 73. But the 2017 rookie took it in stride and feels quite comfortable in her current position.
“I didn't play well today, so I have a little gap from the top players. But like personally I feel more comfortable to actually chase those top players from the back,” said Park.
The cut line fell at three-over par, sending home notables Jessica Korda (+4), Karrie Webb (+5), Brittany Lang (+6), and Angel Yin (+7).
At nine-over par, Ariya will miss the cut in her fourth consecutive major. And as Moriya looked on as her sister won at Woburn, Ariya will likely be found just outside the ropes on Sunday cheering on her big sis.
“I'm trying to put myself in a good position, and when it's my time, probably it will turn out good,” said Moriya.
Tomorrow will tell.
Click here for complete scores from the second round of the 2017 Evian Championship.
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