Ariya: ready (or not?) to rule the links?
In 2018, Ariya Jutanugarn did something she thought might never be possible. She won on a links course.
At Gullane Golf Club, Ariya fired a final-round 66 to take her third title of the season. Despite her breakthrough links victory last year and playing just three kilometres down the road this week at The Renaissance Club, Ariya still isn’t quite comfortable.
“I don't really like links courses,” said Ariya whose biopic “Pro May Atchariya Tong Sang (“Genius Must Be Built”) premiered in Bangkok on Tuesday.
About the movie: "Pro May Atchariya Tong Sang"
Ariya is among the world’s best female golfers in the LPGA and the Ladies European Tour returns to the Home of Golf this week at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland for the third edition of the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open, which starts tomorrow. The event marks the finale of the LPGA Tour’s 12-week summer stretch and is the last qualifying event for European hopefuls to earn their spot on the 2019 European Solheim Cup Team.
In 2018, Ariya collected her third victory of the season at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open thanks to a final round 5-under par, 66 to win at 13-under par, one-stroke ahead of Minjee Lee. Rolex Rankings No. 4 Lee, No. 5 Ariya and No. 7 Jeongeun Lee lead the 156-player field which will see 27 of the top 30 players from the 2019 LET Order of Merit vying for the $1.5 million purse.
“It's not because the courses are not good, they’re great, but I just feel like it’s so tough for me. When I came back here, I complained to my caddie that it’s so tough. He told me to be patient and learn something new every day.”
While Ariya would love a successful title defense, this week is not about winning her 11th career LPGA title. Instead, the 23-year-old Thai is focusing on having balance and happiness in her life.
“I would say one of the big goals this year is not winning a tournament but how to manage myself and balance golf and my life,” Ariya said. “And I feel much better and am getting much better, but I still have so much to work on, especially my commitment. Because you know, when you are close to winning the tournament, you start thinking about the outcome and your play falls off. I am not good enough to win the tournament because I'm thinking about the outcome too much.”
While she has yet to win in 2019, her fresh outlook is paying off this summer as she’s collected six top-11 finishes in her last seven starts.
“In the past few months, I’ve learnt that when I’m happy and spending time with my sister and my mother, my golf is better, too.”
