The 2018 Champion, Ariya Jutanugarn, shot to the top of the leader board today adding a classy 66 to yesterday’s 69 placing her three clear of the field on -9.
On having new title sponsor from Thailand, Trust Golf – “Of course. I feel so thankful for like myself and for like all the LPGA, and they try to help all the golfers in Thailand so much. That means so much for us.”
On winning the Women’s Scottish Open in 2018 – “I want to say my whole life, like my dream is I want to win on a links course because I won in Woburn, played British Open, but it’s not links. I felt like one time in my life, I want to win on a links and I done it in 2018. Just bring back all the great memory I have here and you know, still lots of golf to go so we never know what going to happen.”
On the weather – “We were pretty lucky to finish before the rain and wind. It was a tough round because it was windy when I started, so making the long putts was pretty lucky. Actually I felt like after I played in the afternoon yesterday, and it was really windy, so I feel like today was going to be better in the morning, but actually it’s not, so the wind start to blow really hard since like first hole and last three holes were even worse. I feel pretty lucky I finish before it gets even worse.”
On winning this week – “I remember because like when I won that Scottish 2018 I feel so happy because I told my caddie, I’m like finally I can win on a links, so every time I’m here, I know it’s tough. I know it’s windy but I really enjoy every moment here because links, we just know we can shoot low and we know we can shoot high. So we just never know when it’s going to be that day that we shoot low or we shoot high. I feel like it brings back a lot of great memory here because I won on links and proud of myself and be able to tell myself that I won on the links.”
Juntanugan’s countrywoman Atthaya Thitikul is in tied second place alongside England’s Charley Hull and Denmark’s Emily Pedersen at -6 while six players it one shot further back at -5 including the current highest place Scot, Kelsey MacDonald.
Thitikul’s unique take on preparations for the weekend – “I’m lucky that I’ll be here early to eat breakfast and then prepare to play on the links. And then I’m not sure that I’ll play well or not, but hopefully I will because, like I said, I’m not a big fan of links course, and it’s just time to give it all that I have.”
Tricky weather conditions saw Suwannapura finish the day in 13th place after closing a round of 74. She enjoyed the challenge and a lot of thought went into her round “you have to aim far enough. Like I aim it in the rough, and then hopefully get it on the fairway. And then you also have to think like how far it’s going to roll to the left or how far it’s going to roll to the side. So it’s a lot of thought today. But it’s very challenging that today my hybrid went 130 yards. So it’s different.”
Prima Thammaraks is the only Thai invite to make the cut after a round of 72 left her two under and in tied 20th. Making the cut was a special moment for the Symetra Tour card holder – “I’m really proud. I’d be lying if I say that I don’t feel the pressure. Being sponsor exempt, you want to do well, with the main sponsor being the first-time sponsor of an LPGA event and they are my sponsor personally, I want to represent them well and I want to do a good job. Basically I just want to go out there and hold myself to the standard and I think I did just that.”
