A stunning final round of 62 earned rookie Ayaka Furue her first LPGA Tour win – photo Mark Runnacles LPGA
Lydia Ko has recorded her 6th top five LPGA Tour finish in her last eight starts with a share of 5th place at the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open at Dunbarnie Links.
Ko was unable to capitalise fully on the lead she held through both 36 and 54 holes and fell victim to a stunning late challenge by Japanese LPGA Tour rookie, Ayaka Furue, who began the final round four shots adrift of Ko and eventually finished five shots ahead of the New Zealander.
Ko was frustrated by the lack of progress especially after her brilliant start to the week but with the final major of the year for women’s golf, the AIG Women’s Open, just a few days away at Muirfield then there is a lot to be excited about as she chases a third major title.
“I feel like I wasn’t able to get things going over this weekend,” said Ko. “Never really got off to like a good momentum.
“Overall I played really solid. Even the last couple days, hit a couple not-so-good shots, but other than that, it was — I feel like there were a lot of good things, and like I said, sometimes when you get in a good rhythm of things, you’re able to keep it going.
“But I just was never on that train on this weekend but hopefully this is a good momentum for next week.
“I haven’t had the greatest I think track record at The Open. So I’m excited for Muirfield. Obviously, it’s the first time that the women’s championship is there, so it’s a pretty historic venue and historic championship.
I’m excited. I’ve heard a lot of great things about it. Seen it on TV. So I’m excited to go play. It’s going to be pretty different to here even though they are both links. So just enjoy it, and see what happens at the end of next week.”
Lydia Ko during her final round – photo Mark Runnacles Getty
The winner Furue won her first LPGA Tour title after graduating through the LPGA Tour Q Series last year. A prolific winner of seven titles on the JLPGA Tour, she has already been runner-up in one event earlier this season and at the age of just 22, Japan appears to have un-earthed yet another star.
Her round of 62 in one of her very early appearances on a links layout highlighted just how good she could become.
“I’m very happy. I was four shots back,” said Furue. “I thought it would be difficult to catch the top, good players. But I’m very happy I played good golf and I was able to come out as a winner.”
When asked how she managed to cope with such a foreign golf course she replied. “I didn’t change anything other than with my ball. I concentrated on how to play the wind.
“My caddie was very helpful. He gave myself a lot of good advice. He was very helpful with after it landed, how much it would roll. He calculated that very well and helped me out with wind direction and how the wind affects play.”
Furue won by three over Frenchwoman Celine Boutier with another shot back to Cheyenne Knight and Hyo Joo Kim.
of the Australians Minjee Lee was 15th and Hannah Green 34th.
