GULLANE, Scotland (AP) - Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn hit six birdies in a final round 5-under 66 to win the Ladies Scottish Open by one shot on Sunday.
The 22-year-old Jutanugarn held off the challenge of Australian Minjee Lee at Gullane to claim her 10th LPGA title and third this year.
Jutanugarn finished on 13-under 271 and is projected to move top of the world rankings, ahead of South Koreans Inbee Park and Sung Hyun Park. She last held the No. 1 spot for two weeks in June 2017- the first Thai golfer to top the rankings.
“It means a lot to me, it’s like my dream come true,” the Bangkok-born Jutanugarn told lpga.com.
“I told my caddie this week, ’I want to win on a links course one time in my life,’ and I did it so (I feel) pretty good.”
Runner-up Lee remained in close pursuit of Jutanugarn throughout Sunday but was unable to make up a one-shot overnight deficit.
Lee produced a bogey-free 66 but couldn’t do enough after her third-round 71.
Jutanugarn has also won the Kingsmill Championship and U.S. Women’s Open this year.
South Koreans Jin Young Ko (67) and Haeji Kang (69) finished tied for third on 8 under, while their compatriot Amy Yang dropped to joint fifth.
Yang, who shared the overnight lead with Jutanugarn, carded a 1-over 72 to finish tied for fifth with Spaniard Carlota Ciganda.
Beating Jutanugarn was always going to be a tough challenge. She has now won her last nine tournaments when heading into the final round with at least a share of the lead.
American golfer Tiffany Joh (70), who shot a 9-under 62 on Thursday and a 9-over 80 on Saturday, tied for eighth with compatriot Jacqui Concolino and South Africa’s Lee-Anne Pace.
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