Ariya Jutanugarn overcame a late fightback by Cristie Kerr and a crisis of confidence with short putts to book her place in the semi-finals of the Lorena Ochoa Match Play with a hard-fought victory after 19 holes on Saturday afternoon.
The long-hitting Thai sealed the win at the par-four first where she lipped out with a birdie attempt from 15 feet only to watch as Kerr, long regarded as one of the best putters on the LPGA Tour, missed her par putt from just four feet.
"The greens here are really hard to read, the speed, everything," Rolex Rankings World No. 3 Jutanugarn told LPGA.com after reaching the last four at Club de Golf Mexico where she will next face Michelle Wie, a winner against Angel Yin after 20 holes.
"Cristie hit some really good putts today but they just didn’t go in. I think it’s going to be fun (against Wie), she is a really good player and I just want to go have fun."
Jutanugarn had been three up on the experienced Kerr with just five holes to go after draining a 35-foot birdie putt at the par-four 13th, and the American's shoulders seemed to sag after she missed her attempt there from only eight feet.
"After making that birdie putt I felt a lot more confident, and then I start to miss my short putts again," said the Thai. "I lost confidence again."
The momentum began to shift Kerr's way at the par-three 14th where she got up and down from a bunker to save par while Jutanugarn bogeyed after chipping from right of the green eight feet past the cup and missing the putt coming back.
"I was putting well on the back nine ... it was just that short putt," said the Thai. "I think I lost my momentum."
Worse was to follow for Jutanugarn at the par-four 15th after she had struck a superb second shot from light rough to 12 feet before three-putting for her lead to be trimmed to 1 up.
After pars were traded at the short 16th, Kerr got back to all square with a birdie at the par-five 17th where Jutanugarn, from only five feet, watched her birdie attempt slide past the left edge of the cup.
Both players bogeyed the par-four 18th after their approach shots ran through the back of the green to send the match went into extra holes.
"Overall, my game is pretty good," said Jutanugarn, a winner of five titles on the LPGA Tour, including her first major crown at last year's Women's British Open. "My tee shot was pretty good all day. I just have to work on my putting."
And Jutanugarn was as good as her word, spending a lot of time with her caddie Les Luark on the practice putting green after her quarter-final match ended, mainly focusing on putts from between five and 20 feet.
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