Jutanugarn chips in for share
Ariya Jutanugarn chipped in for birdie on the final hole Friday for a 6-under 66 and a share of the lead in the TOTO Japan Classic, the LPGA Tour’s first tournament in the Tokyo area since 1991.
Jutanugarn birdied six of the last 11 holes in a bogey-free round at fan-packed Taiheiyo Club, holing out from 35 feet on the par-4 18th to join Soo-Yun Kang atop the first-round leaderboard.
She leads the LPGA Tour with five victories and has a 13-point lead over Lydia Ko in the player of the year standings, not that she’s looking that far ahead.
After a week in steamy and stormy Malaysia, the players wore jackets and sweaters in cool conditions on the pine tree-lined Minori Course.
”Last week, I was just a little bit off with my tee shot,” Jutanugarn said.
”Today, I just tried to be a little bit more positive and not think about last week and try to have more fun.” The 40-year-old South Korean player won the LPGA Tour’s 2005 Safeway Classic and is now a regular on the Japan LPGA.
The schedule is going to change because of it, but that doesn’t change how you play on the golf course.
Ko fired Jason Hamilton and used Sargunan Suntharaj last week in Malaysia.