Ariya helps Thailand finish third
Ariya Jutanugarn turned in a disappointing score of 73 to finish at six-under 282 but still helped Thailand finish third in the team event of the US$500,000 World Ladies Championships at the Mission Hills Haikou in Hainan, China, yesterday.
Teeing off on joint fifth at seven under, seven strokes behind leader Suzann Pettersen, Ariya improved to eight under after 13 holes but two straight bogeys on the 14th and 15th pushed her back to six under in the individual category. She had to settle for joint 12th along with Trish Johnson of England, Australian Bree Arthur and American Beth Allen.
Norwegian Pettersen clung onto her lead all day, firing an impressive 66 to total 18-under 270 to win her first trophy of the season. South Korean Inbee Park trailed a shot behind with a 271 while China’s Shanshan Feng came third with 277.
In the team event, Ariya and Nontaya Srisawang’s combined score of 570 placed them at third behind South Korea’s 560 and Norway’s 565 . Nontaya’s total of even par 288 saw her finish at tied 22nd in the individual event.
