FIFE, Scotland (AP) — Ariya Jutanugarn bogeyed the final two holes for an even-par 72 on Saturday at windy Dumbarnie Links, leaving her tied for the lead with Charley Hull and Ryann O’Toole in the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open.
Three strokes ahead entering the round, Jutanugarn had five birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey in wind gusting to 28 mph.
“I feel like tomorrow just have to play my own game,” Jutanugarn said. “Today, I was thinking about the outcome so much ... and that’s why I end up today not playing so well. “So, I think tomorrow just have to go back to like yesterday or first round and have good commitment and not really thinking about the outcome.”
The 25-year-old Thai star won the 2018 tournament at Gullane. She has two victories this year, the Honda LPGA Thailand and Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational team event alongside sister Moriya.
O'Toole had a 68, and Hull shot her third straight 69 to match Jutanugarn at 9-under 207.
“The wind actually felt warmer, as well, so the ball was going a little bit farther," Hull said. "Especially on last few holes it dropped off a bit. I’ve been feeling confident the last six weeks ever since pretty much, just the couple weeks after U.S. Open. I feel good. I feel really good.”
The 25-year-old Englishwoman won the 2016 CME Group Tour Championship for her lone LPGA Tour title.
O'Toole eagled the par-5 15th. The 34-year-old American is winless on the tour.
“I had just been playing 15, take the drive down just that center left side,” O’Toole said. “Today with the wind direction, it was helping a bit more versus left to right, so I was able to bite off more on the corner. The back pins, that’s the risk is that if you come in on that left side, you have a short club in but it’s a hard position to hold that green up top I put myself in a good spot. I had an uphill lie with pitching wedge in and was able to hold the green nicely and make the 9-footer.”
South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai (67) and Thailand's Atthaya Thitikul (70) were a stroke back.
Kelsey MacDonald leads the race for five spots next week in the Women’s British Open at Carnoustie at 5 under, followed by Karolin Lampert (4 under), Paula Reto (2 under), Prima Thammaraks (2 under), Jing Yan (even) and Whitney Hillier (even).
