Golf

Ariya Jutanugarn takes US Women’s Open in play-off

22-year-old produces stunning bunker shot on 18 to see off Hyo-Joo Kim in tense finale

Ariya Jutanugarn with the US Women’s Open trophy. Photograph: Drew Hallowell/Getty

Mon Jun 4 2018 - 10:55

Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn chipped out of a bunker to lie within inches of the pin as she won the US Women’s Open after a four-hole play-off against Hyo-Joo Kim.

Jutanugarn had gone into her final round at 12-under 204 with her South Korean rival sitting in third place, six shots adrift.

But Kim rallied at Shoal Creek, Alabama, going out in three-under and hitting two birdies coming in as she carded a bogey-free round of 67 on Sunday.

Jutanugarn, meanwhile, got to the turn in 32 but a triple-bogey seven on the par-four 10th rattled her as she went on to drop a further three shots on the remaining eight holes.

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The pair then went into a play-off, where Kim took the early advantage carding a birdie on the par-four 14th, but then dropping a shot on the 18th.

Both players made par on the third play-off hole, before 2016 Women’s British Open winner Jutanugarn saved par to win the title after a deft bunker shot on the 18th.

Speaking after her win, Jutanugarn said: “I’m really honoured to join the list of players before me.

“If you have a seven-shot lead and then go into a play-off, you have no expectation.

“I got mad a little bit about what happened in my back nine, but I thought if I have to play off, I have to do my best on every shot.”

Carlota Ciganda came in third on seven-under, amateur Patty Tavatanakit was fifth on two-under while England’s Charley Hull was among seven players tied for 10th on par.

Collated scores

US Women’s Open (USA unless stated, par 72):

277 Ariya Jutanugarn (Tha) 67 70 67 73(Jutanugarn won play-off at fourth hole), Hyo Joo Kim (Kor) 70 72 68 67
281 Carlota Ciganda (Spa) 73 68 71 69
285 Danielle Kang 69 77 70 69
286 Wei-Ling Hsu (Tai) 71 73 70 72, Patty Tavatanakit (Tha) 70 73 72 71, Lexi Thompson 71 75 70 70, Sarah-Jane Smith (Aus) 67 67 74 78
287 Inbee Park (Kor) 70 71 71 75
288 Michelle Wie 69 72 76 71, Ji-hyun Kim (Kor) 70 71 70 77, Nelly Korda 70 74 71 73, Angela Stanford 73 72 71 72, Nasa Hataoka (Jpn) 74 70 72 72, Megan Khang 72 74 69 73, Charley Hull (Eng) 74 73 70 71
289 Su Oh (Aus) 70 68 78 73, Madelene Sagstrom (Swe) 70 72 70 77, Eun-Hee Ji (Kor) 73 72 70 74, Jin Young Ko (Kor) 75 73 71 70, Lizette Salas 74 73 71 71, Jeongeun Lee (Kor) 67 75 74 73
290 So Yeon Ryu (Kor) 73 70 72 75
291 (a) Albane Valenzuela (Chn) 72 73 71 75
292 Jennifer Song 72 71 76 73, Brittany Lincicome 75 72 71 74
293 Jodi Ewart Shadoff (Eng) 72 71 73 77, Marina Alex 73 75 76 69, Jenny Shin 72 69 75 77, Teresa Lu (Tai) 75 71 73 74, Sei Young Kim (Kor) 70 71 76 76, Hye Jin Choi (Kor) 71 76 76 70, (a) Kristen Gillman 70 74 75 74
294 Luna Sobron (Spa) 70 75 77 72, In Kyung Kim (Kor) 72 73 77 72, Georgia Hall (Eng) 72 76 75 71, Caroline Masson (Ger) 72 74 75 73, Elizabeth Wang 72 74 71 77, Minjee Lee (Aus) 72 71 80 71
295 Rumi Yoshiba (Jpn) 74 71 79 71
296 Emma Talley 74 71 74 77, Emily K Pedersen (Den) 70 75 76 75, Chella Choi (Kor) 71 70 78 77, Austin Ernst 74 74 75 73, Azahara Munoz (Spa) 74 73 72 77, Moriya Jutanugarn (Tha) 76 72 75 73, In Gee Chun (Kor) 74 73 75 74, Brittany Altomare 76 70 77 73
297 Jane Park 72 75 75 75, Hyun Kyung Park (Kor) 76 72 75 74, Lydia Ko (Nzl) 71 77 76 73
298 Cristie Kerr 73 75 70 80, Ryann O'Toole 77 71 73 77, Wichanee Meechai (Tha) 72 75 77 74
299 Lucy Li 72 74 77 76, Hailee Cooper 72 76 77 74
300 Ashleigh Buhai (Rsa) 73 71 76 80, Linn Grant (Swe) 69 72 78 81
303 Pernilla Lindberg (Swe) 76 72 78 77, Saranporn Langkulgasettri (Tha) 73 73 76 81
306 Daniela Darquea (Ecu) 74 74 78 80
307 Jillian Hollis 76 70 78 83
308 Lindy Duncan 71 74 77 86

Cut to take place at end of Round 2 for scores of no more than 148

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