Bunker Mania at Lytham and More From the Ricoh Women's British Open

DAME DAVIES UP TO THE CHALLENGE OF WINNING

The 2018 Ricoh Women’s British Open marks Dame Laura Davies’ 38th consecutive championship appearance, longer than most of her fellow competitors have even been alive. Those 38 years saw the English great tally 20 LPGA victories, 45 Ladies European Tour wins, four majors and induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame. In April, Davies finished second at the Bank of Hope Founders Cup, and just two weeks ago she added yet another superlative to her career when she captured the inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open.

“I'm hitting it well this week and putting really well,” said Davies of her chances this week. “Wherever you win, whatever tour you win on, it's good for your confidence, there's no question, because the pressure is the same whether you win in the U.S. Open or a French Open or one of the Asian events, on the LET. The pressure is the same. Winning is the hardest thing to do.”

Davies won the 1986 Women’s British Open; however, it is not considered a major victory, as the championship was not elevated to major status until 2001.

LONDON PREPARATIONS FOR PARK

Inbee Park had a unique method of preparing for this week’s major – she went on vacation. The 2015 RWBO champion arrived in London last Thursday, spending the long weekend with her younger sister, Inah, a former professional golfer who is now pursuing a culinary career as a recent graduate of Le Cordon Bleu London.

“It's a really cool city,” said Park of London. “It's a mix of old and new. It was just really cool to see the city, and where she lives, was nice to see it. I haven't seen her for a while, and it was just nice to have like sister time.”

The current World No. 2 last teed it up at the season’s most recent major, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in early July, where she uncharacteristically missed the cut. This is her 10th time playing in the Ricoh Women’s British Open; including her win, she has seven top-11 finishes.

BUNKER MANIA AT LYTHAM

Links golf is always a tricky proposition, with pot bunkers, fescue, unpredictable winds and undulating greens wreaking havoc with even the best golfers. Royal Lytham & St Annes is particularly known for its pot bunkers, with 167 of the dreaded hazards peppered across the course.

So how should players manage this difficult layout? English favorite Georgia Hall went to someone who knows the course well – PGA Tour star Tom Lehman, who won the 1996 Open Championship at Lytham. “He just said lay up short of the bunkers on the tee, so I'm going to listen to his advice and see if it works,” she said.

On the other hand, 2015 champion Inbee Park knows that as much as she’d like to totally miss the bunkers, that likelihood is nil. “If you're in the fairway bunker it's really almost like an automatic bogey. And there are too many to avoid,” said Park. “You can't avoid all of them but just try to minimize going into the fairway bunkers.”

IN HER OWN WORDS – CATRIONA MATTHEW ON WINNING THE 2009 RICOH WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN 11 WEEKS AFTER GIVING BIRTH

“I probably at the time didn't really probably appreciate what a big deal it was, only 11 weeks after having Sophie, but now looking back, I suppose you can realize what an amazing feat it really was actually. At the time I suppose you just get on with it, and I was playing golf, looking after Katie and Sophie, but you just kind of mud along, don't you? As for the other ones playing, you can see from obviously myself, Serena, a few of the athletes as well have all come back from having children. I think it's beginning to show there's no reason why you can't come back. Certainly when I had Katie, the first one, it was a concern. I mean I was out for six months, and you do wonder. You kind of think, you perhaps doubt yourself a little, will I be able to come back. It's a long time off, but to be honest when I came back, I think Phoenix was my first tournament back from Katie, and I can remember turning to Graeme and saying it feels like I've never been away. I'm not going to say it's easy to come back because obviously you've got other commitments now, but it's possible.”

EUROPE LOOKING FOR ITS NEXT MAJOR VICTORY

Since the Ricoh Women’s British Open became a major in 2001, only three Europeans have claimed victory:

In the last decade, only four Europeans have won any of the five major championships:

JUTANUGARN, LUARK TO RECEIVE ROLEX RANKINGS NO. 1 CADDIE BIB ON FIRST TEE

For the second time in her LPGA career, Ariya Jutanugarn has reached No. 1 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. In recognition of that achievement, her caddie, Les Luark, will receive the green Rolex Caddie Bib from Martin Slumbers, chief executive of The R&A, prior to her 11:54 a.m. tee time.

NOTABLE STATS

The 2009 Ricoh Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes holds the championship record for highest cut (153, +9); CatrionaMatthew’s winning score of -3 is the highest winning score in relation to par since the championship became a major in 2001

Players from the United States or Asia have won the last eight Ricoh Women’s British Opens

Republic of Korea – 3 wins (Jiyai Shin, 2012; Inbee Park, 2015; In-Kyung Kim, 2017) 

United States – 2 wins (Stacy Lewis, 2013; Mo Martin, 2012)

Chinese Taipei – 2 wins (Yani Tseng, 2010, 2011) 

Thailand – 1 win (Ariya Jutanugarn, 2016) 

Recent players with multiple victories for at least three consecutive seasons:

Ariya Jutanugarn – 2016-18 (5, 2, 3) 

Lydia Ko – 2014-16 (3, 5, 4) 

Inbee Park – 2012-15 (2, 6, 3, 5) 

Stacy Lewis – 2012-14 (4, 3, 3) 

Suzann Pettersen – 2011-13 (2, 2, 4) 

Yani Tseng – 2010-12 (3, 7, 3) 

Jiyai Shin – 2008-10 (2, 3, 3) 

Lorena Ochoa – 2006-09 (6, 8, 7, 3)