Thailand's Moriya Jutanugarn claimed her first LPGA Tour individual win since the 2018 HUGEL-JTBC LA Open; She had been three strokes behind going into the final round; watch the Women's Scottish Open from Thursday August 15, live on Sky Sports
Monday 5 August 2024 08:22, UK
Moriya Jutanugarn emerged from a tight pack in the final round to win the Portland Classic for her first individual victory in more than six years.
Three strokes behind leader Andrea Lee going into the round, Jutanugarn shot a six-under 66 in mostly calm conditions for a two-stroke victory over three players.
The 30-year-old Thai player birdied holes 13 to 15 and made an eight-footer to save par on the par-three 16th. She then made a short birdie putt on the par-four 17th and closed with a bogey for a third LPGA Tour title.
"Kind of been a long time since my last win," Jutanugarn said. "To be in contention for the last few days, it's kind of nice.
"I feel like I haven't been in contention for a little while. It kind of keep your on toes and exciting.
"When you make that putt [on 16] it kind of feels a lot better and like taking a lot of the pressure off."
Jutanugarn finished at 22-under 266, playing the first 71 holes without a bogey
Jutanugarn's previous individual LPGA Tour victory came in the 2018 HUGEL-JTBC LA Open. In 2021, she teamed with younger sister Ariya to win the 2021 Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational.
"So excited and so proud of her, because like I know she been waiting for so long," said Ariya Jutanugarn, a 12-time LPGA Tour winner who closed with a 65 on Sunday to tie for ninth at 17 under.
Narin An (66), Nataliya Guseva (68) and Angel Yin (69) tied for second. The 21-year-old Guseva is the first Russian player with an LPGA Tour card.
Sofia Garcia (68) and So Mi Lee (70) tied for fifth at 19 under, and second-round leader Dewi Weber (72) was another stroke back. Lee, the 2022 winner for her lone LPGA Tour title, had a 74 to finish in the group at 17 under.
Weber dropped back with a double bogey on the par-four 15th and a bogey on 16. She was trying to win for the first time on the LPGA Tour and send a statement to the Dutch Olympic committee that it made a mistake by declining to send her to Paris.
She qualified for the Olympics under International Golf Federation standards but was left out because of the Netherlands' separate standards for all sports to meet a realistic chance of a top-eight finish.
With the Olympics next week, no player from the top 30 in the world ranking was in the field. The lone Olympian in Portland was Aditi Ashok of India, who finished with a 72 to tie for 22nd at 14 under.
Watch the Women's Scottish Open live on Sky Sports from August 15, with coverage starting at 2pm. Also stream with NOW.
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