Click here for complete groups and tee times for the opening round of the 2017 Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open.
So Yeon Ryu, Beth Allen, Lydia Ko
Thursday, 11.45 a.m. – 1st Tee
World No.1 So Yeon Ryu headlines this group and will be using this week’s Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open as a warm up to the Ricoh Women’s British Open next week. The Republic of Korea golfer has never finished outside the top-17 at a British Open, a testament to her seeming love of links golf.
Beth Allen, who now resides in Edinburgh, Scotland, although is a native Californian, finished in a tie for third place last season at Dundonald Links. This season, the 2016 Ladies European Tour Order of Merit winner will look to go a couple better and show the LPGA’s leading golfers how to maneuver a links golf course. One of these leading players is former world No.1 Lydia Ko, whose struggle for consistency this season has seen her drop down to fourth place in the Rolex Rankings. A steady performance at the Scottish Open will help boost confidence ahead of the fourth major of the year.
Mo Martin, Ariya Jutanugarn, Shanshan Feng
Thursday, 11:55 a.m. – 1st Tee
Two British Open champions will battle it out alongside Shanshan Feng in this powerful group. Mo Martin, who won the 2014 Ricoh Women's British Open, is looking for another strong week on the links to help boost her Solheim Cup selection chances. The American is currently 14th in the USA points standings and may rely on a wildcard to make the team.
Ariya Jutanugarn heads into this week searching for form after missing the cut in two of her last three appearances, the other of which she withdrew from. However, she does have her early season form to fall back on which includes a win, three second places and a further five top-10s.
Alongside her is fellow 2017 LPGA Tour winner Shanshan Feng, who led the U.S. Women’s Open after three rounds, however would go on to shoot three-over-par, with a triple bogey, eight, on the final hole. Over the last four years at the British Open, Feng has four top-25 finishes including a second-place finish in 2014, proving her credentials on a links layout.
Charley Hull, Michelle Wie, Suzann Pettersen
Thursday, 12:05 p.m. – 1st Tee
Michelle Wie finds herself sandwiched between two European Solheim Cup players in Charley Hull and Suzann Pettersen during the first two rounds of her Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open debut. Hull comes into the week needing to find some consistent form in the build-up to the fourth major of the year and the Solheim Cup. After missing two consecutive cuts, Hull steadied the ship with a T-21 finish at the U.S. Women’s Open. Hull has played this event once before back in 2015, where she finished in eighth position.
Michelle Wie comes into the week off the back of a steady season on the LPGA Tour. Six top-10 finishes propelled Wie into the automatic spots for the USA Solheim Cup team, although will need to have a strong week in Scotland if she is to stay there. Wie hasn’t made the cut at a British Open since 2013, and will use this week to familiarize herself with the links layout.
Pettersen features as the highest ranked European in the field this week. The LET and LPGA Tour veteran finished solo second here in her only appearance back in 2015, two shots behind eventual winner Rebecca Artis. With seven top-20 finishes on the LPGA Tour this season and fond memories of Dundonald Links, it wouldn’t be a surprise to find Pettersen in contention come Sunday.
Catriona Matthew, Emily Kristine Pedersen, Caroline Masson
Thursday, 12:25 p.m. – 1st Tee
One of Annika Sorenstam’s Solheim Cup vice-captain’s, Catriona Matthew, will be keeping an eye on two other wildcard hopefuls in Emily K. Pedersen and Caroline Masson. Matthew could in fact move closer to a potential playing spot herself as she has fond memories of winning the Scottish Open in her native country back in 2011 and 2013.
Pedersen will be aiming to impress the vice-captain and give Matthew reason to let her captain know why she should make her debut Solheim Cup appearance. She has not missed a cut on the LPGA Tour this season, but will have to battle against fellow European Caroline Masson who, despite not having the best season, does have Solheim Cup experience.
Klara Spilkova, Belen Mozo, Nanna Koerstz Madsen
Thursday, 12:45 p.m., 1st Tee
At just 22-years-old, Klara Spilkova became the first Czech to win on the Ladies European Tour when she won the 2017 Lalla Meryem Cup. However, this victory has not been enough to secure a place on Europe’s Solheim Cup team, and currently finds herself in 11th place in the standings. A strong week will move Spilkova towards the automatic spots and more importantly show Sorenstam she is in form, just weeks before Europe and the U.S. lock horns.
Belen Mozo has had a tough year on the LPGA in 2017, with her best finish being a T-28 at the Manulife LPGA Classic, and will be looking for some inspiration from three-time Epson Tour winner Nanna Koerstz Madsen. She has played in the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open in her previous two years as an LET member, finishing in 17th place on both occasions.
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