Jutanugarn and Yang Share Lead On Tough Day at Gullane
GULLANE, Scotland – Ariya Jutanugarn stood over her par putt at the 12th hole and smiled, but she wasn’t feeling much joy. It’s part of her pre-shot routine. That grin quickly turned to a scowl as the wind howled across the Thai’s face and wiped it away. It was a reaction shared by the leaders at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open, who teed off just as Mother Nature began to howl across the links Saturday afternoon.
Just 24 hours after players basked in the sunshine of an 80-degree day, temperatures plummeted into the low 60s and the wind wreaked havoc. Gusts of 35 mph bent pin flags in half as players held their caps to their heads. Tiffany Joh, the leader the first two days in Scotland was perhaps the most battered by the day’s conditions with a round of 80, but no player came away unscathed. The low round of the day was a 4-under par, 67 carded by Sarah Kemp who went out during the morning’s calmer conditions. It was a far cry from the round of 62 that Gullane gave up on Thursday.
Ariya Jutanugarn and Amy Yang, who played in the final group with Joh, began the day 3-back of the lead at 10-under par. They clawed their way to the top of the leaderboard with rounds of 2-over par, 73 to share the 54-hole lead at 8-under par, one ahead of Minjee Lee, who carded a round of Even par on moving day. Haeji Kang and So Yeon Ryu sit two-strokes back of the lead heading into Sunday.
“When the wind started to blow today I said, ‘here is the Scottish Open.’ Here is the real one now,” Jutanugarn said about Saturday’s change in weather. “I really just want to have fun and I have so much fun today. I hit everywhere today.”
The highlight of the day came at the par 5, 16th hole where Jutanugarn made eagle from 40 yards to jump into a tie at the top with Yang, who made bogey on the next hole to give Jutanugarn the outright lead.
“I’m just really lucky,” Jutanugarn said about her eagle. “I just didn’t expect to make. I just want to make birdie.”
Yang made birdie of her own at the last to move back into a share of the lead. A win would be a fitting gift for the Korean who celebrates her 29th birthday on Saturday.
“I totally forgot it was just my birthday,” Yang said after her round. I just focused how I'm going to play, but you know, a lot of people wished me a happy birthday today.”
Sunday’s forecast is much like Saturday with temperatures expected to reach the mid 60s and wind gusts expected around 35 mph.
Joh Stumbles, But Remains In Top 10
Saturday, Tiffany Joh’s fairytale start was gone with the wind. Joh, who led the first two rounds at Gullane Golf Club, was unable to follow up her brilliant 62-67 start with a third sub-par round as she struggled to a 9-over par, 80.
The 2011 rookie who led by three strokes to start the day, extended her lead to four with her only birdie of the day at the par 5, 2nd hole. But as the wind picked up Joh dropped seven shots over a six hole stretch to go out in 41. But with all players experiencing the same challenge on Saturday, Joh remains in the top 10 and sits just 4-strokes back heading into Sunday.
Jutanugarn Poised To Return to World No. 1
Ranked No. 3 in the Rolex Rankings, Ariya Jutanugarn entered the week with a chance to overtake Inbee Park at No. 1 in the world. The Thai has to win on Sunday in order to retake the top spot in the rankings, which is a position she held for two weeks in June 2017. She enters the final round with a one-stroke lead. World No .2 Sung Hyun Park and No. 4 So Yeon Ryu also have a mathematical chance of becoming world No. 1.
Park has the best chance of returning to No. 1 in the world, a position she held for a single week in Nov. 2018. She can finish runner-up or win on Sunday and take over the No. 1 spot. But the two-time major champion will have some work to do if she wants to become world No. 1. Park backed up on Saturday with a 6-over, 77 to drop back to 2-under par and six-strokes back of the lead heading into Sunday.
Ryu also remains in the hunt but can only overtake the No. 1 ranking with a win. She carded a 1-over par, 72 to sit at 6-under par and 2-back of the lead heading into Sunday. Ryu previously held the No. 1 ranking in 2017.
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