Smith fades, Jutanugarn leads Women’s Open

Ariya Jutanugarn almost let the trophy slip from her grasp.

But Kim made another bogey at the 18th, and a fourth consecutive par was enough for Jutanugarn to add to her 2016 Women’s British Open title.

Sarah Jane Smith has a three-shot lead entering the third round of the US Women’s Open.

Be part of the action with a selection of unique golf tournament experiences, from playing in a pro-am with the stars to watching the action at golf’s most illustrious events.

“It was really tough for because I played my front nine so good and my back nine not very good”, Jutanugarn told CNN, after a triple bogey on the 10th kick started an nearly terminal collapse.

Jutanugarn admitted in her press conference she’d been aware of the scoreboard, “scared” and too “uncomfortable” to hit a three wood.

Another bogey followed at the 12th. She needed to feel deeply in her heart and in her head what she wanted out of this game.

But while Woods always seemed impervious to pressure, Ariya has sometimes struggled to close the deal. Kim, also 22, just kept plugging away, the way Casper did 52 years ago.

Kim, chasing a second Major to go with her 2014 Evian Championship, had five birdies in her bogey-free round.

“Ariya is unique, very different from Annika Sorenstam and other players we’ve worked with, but she shares something all the champions have”, Nilsson said.

She has had a particular liking for Shoal Creek’s back nine, playing it in 10-under.

“I think they could have been really good if I had taken the time to do it in the offseason”.

“I don’t feel comfortable”, said Oh, who has also never won a major championship.

Kim missed her putt for par and Jutanugarn tapped in for the win, turning toward her caddie and family for a happy, tearful embrace.

A lightning storm forced play to be halted for nearly four hours and play was only able to resume for an hour before being delayed again.

Park is one of five South Koreans in the top 10. Finding the bunker on her approach to 18, she failed to get up-and-down for par and the collapse was complete. Jutanugarn shot one-over 73.

Jutanugarn took the lead after Smith stumbled with back-to-back bogeys and then surged ahead with three straight birdies on the back nine. “But, I’m not nervous or excited anymore when I have playoff”, she said.

Heading into the playoff having blown a huge lead, Jutanugarn refocused and recommitted.

Now she’ll just try to stay on an even keel throughout the weekend.

She made seven pars in a row before back-to-back bogeys on No. 8 and 9 dropped her one shot behind Jutanugarn. Olesen hit his second shot into a greenside bunker after driving into the rough. He missed the green from the fairway on the 18th on the first extra hole and had to scramble for par.