After an eventful Saturday at the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open, 36-hole leader Ariya Jutanugarn is joined by England’s Charley Hull and American Ryann O’Toole in a tie for first at -9. Holding a three-stroke advantage over the field at the start of the day in the final grouping, Jutanugarn’s third round ended with five birdies, three bogeys and a double-bogey on No. 10.
“I feel like tomorrow just have to play my own game. Today, I was thinking about the outcome so much, I don't want to miss and make putts, and that's why I end up today not playing so well,” said Jutanugarn. “So I think tomorrow just have to go back to like yesterday or first round and have good commitment and not really thinking about the outcome.”
Hull, who is searching for her second LPGA Tour win and first since 2016, took hold of lighter winds at Dumbarnie Links en route to a third-consecutive 69. Hull birdied Nos. 4, 7, 12 and 15, and refused to let a bogey on No. 16 ruin an all-around solid showing. “The wind actually felt warmer, as well, so the ball was going a little bit farther. Especially on last few holes it dropped off a bit,” said Hull. “I've been feeling confident the last six weeks ever since pretty much, just the couple weeks after U.S. Open. I feel good. I feel really good.”
O’Toole will look to become the sixth Rolex First-Time Winner of the 2021 season with a win at the Women’s Scottish Open on Sunday. The 34-year-old’s third-round 68, highlighted by a late eagle on the Aon Risk Reward Challenge Hole, No. 15, put her in prime contention to become the sixth-different American to win this season on Tour.
“I had just been playing 15, take the drive down just that center left side. Today with the wind direction, it was helping a bit more versus left-to-right, so I was able to bite off more on the corner. The back pins, that's the risk is that if you come in on that left side, you have a short club in but it's a hard position to hold that green up top,” said O’Toole. “I put myself in a good spot. I had an uphill lie with pitching wedge in and was able to hold the green nicely and make the 9-footer.”
O’Toole holds a 54-hole co-lead/lead for the first time in her Tour career. The California native, who joined the Tour in 2011, said she’s solely focused on bringing home her first LPGA Tour trophy from Scotland.
“I definitely want that win. I think I stick to my game plan, one shot at a time, picking smart targets, not too aggressive lines and a few putts to drop. I struggled all week with the speeds. You get some downhill putts that don't play as downhill as you think or you get some that run away from you and the uphillers, you definitely have to hit,” said O’Toole. “If I can get a couple more to drop tomorrow, maybe I can be happy with the round.”
Ashleigh Buhai’s 67, which included six birdies and one bogey in her final 12 holes, put her into a tie for fourth with young Thai super and three-time Ladies European Tour winner, Atthaya Thitikul, at -8. Buhai said she’s felt her game “trending in the right direction” for the last few weeks, especially after captaining the winning team in last week’s Aramco Team Series – Sotogrande and finishing second in the individual portion.
“I didn't know [today’s score] was coming, but yesterday I had four birdies and an eagle. So it was out there,” said Buhai. “And the thing with the wind -- it's being consistent at least and in a similar direction. Every day I think you learn to play the course a bit more and as long as you stick to the right game plan and hit to the right areas, you can make a birdie every now and then.”
Two-time major champion Anna Nordqvist finished with her first sub-70 round of the week, a 69, to sit alone in sixth at -6. Five players, including 2020 Tokyo Olympic Bronze medalist Lydia Ko, sit in a tie for seventh at -5. Defending champion Stacy Lewis’ 78 put her in 69th at +8 heading into Sunday in Fife.
WITH A WIN…
Ariya Jutanugarn would become the second three-time winner of the 2021 LPGA Tour season, joining World No. 1, Nelly Korda; it would be Jutanugarn’s third season on Tour since 2016 with at least three wins (2016, 4; 2018, 3)
Jutanugarn would become the second two-time champion of the Women’ Scottish Open, joining Catriona Matthew (2011, 2013)
Jutanugarn would earn her 13th-career victory, putting her in a tie for 40th on the Official Career Wins list with Betty Jameson, Stacy Lewis, Liselotte Neumann and Rosie Jones
Jutanugarn would pass $10 million in career earnings with the $225,000 winner’s check, making her the 20th player in Tour history to do so
Atthaya Thitikul, Ashleigh Buhai or Ryann O’Toole would become the sixth Rolex First-Time Winner of the 2021 season
Thitikul would be eligible to accept immediate LPGA Tour Membership and then receive official CME Globe points and Money
Thitikul would become the youngest Tour winner of 2021 at 18 years, five months and 26 days old; she would be the youngest to win on the LPGA Tour since Lydia Ko won the 2015 Evian Championship at 18 years, four months and 20 days
Thitikul would be the sixth-different player from Thailand to ever win on the LPGA Tour
Charley Hull would earn her second LPGA Tour victory, and first in 1,729 days (2016 CME Group Tour Championship)
Hull would be the sixth different player from England to earn multiple Tour victories
O’Toole would be the sixth-different American to win this year on Tour
Buhai would be just the third South African to win on the LPGA Tour, and the first since Lee-Anne Pace in 2014
Buhai would cross the $2 million mark in career earnings with the $225,000 winner’s check ($2,193,321 total)
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