Ariya Jutanugarn Wins 2016 Kingsmill Championship For Back To Back LPGA Victories

Ariya Jutanguarn (click to enlarge)

Well, that was quick. It took a long time for the first official LPGA winner representing Thailand to be crowned. It only took until the following tournament for the next coronation. Second verse, same as the first. Ariya Jutanugarn made it back to back titles with a 14-under 1 shot victory at the 2016 Kingsmill Championship. This is right on the heels of her win at the last scheduled LPGA event, the 2016 Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic. After May won Yokohama, I wasn’t expecting a flood of wins to follow. In fact, after going back to Thailand in the LPGA’s off week prior to Kingsmill, I thought all the celebrations and honors might take a little something out of her. I wouldn’t have been shocked to see her miss the cut in Williamsburg. Both of Jutanugarn’s wins were impressive, particularly overcoming a few squirrely shots down the stretch. There were fewer of them this week than two weeks ago, but she did spray an approach shot on 18 to the far right front fringe of the green that had me sweating a bit. May got it up and down (with a lofted wedge on the first shot) to seal the deal. That was certainly a lot better than a missed cut!

Ariya Jutanugarn (click to enlarge)

The question is what are the expectations now for Ariya Jutanugarn. After Yokohama, I was conservative in what I envisioned for May, a top 10 Race to the CME Globe finish being satisfactory to me. That’s out the window now. Back to back wins turns up the pressure. But as sports pioneer Billie Jean King would say, pressure is a privilege. If nobody expects anything from you, it’s probably because you haven’t given them a reason. May turning her potential into titles is why much will be looked for from her going forward. That said, keep in mind the competition out there. Lydia Ko is the best in the world and has back to back wins this year. There are two other players, Haru Nomura and Ha-Na Jang, who have also notched their first two career LPGA wins this year. Don’t expect the field to genuflect before Ariya. They’re coming for their own glory.

In-Gee Chun (click to enlarge)

Speaking of the field, top 10s were good for a couple of my favorites, Seoul Sisters In-Gee Chun and So-Yeon Ryu. However, it should have been better. Ryu is so talented, but is getting a reputation for faltering late in tournaments. In the same way that I worried about Jutanugarn getting over her mental block, I am concerned that the longer Ryu goes the greater the obstacle becomes. But also like May, I think if she can break through for her fourth LPGA win, more wins could quickly follow. I am less worried about In-Gee. It’s just a matter of time before Dumbo wins again. And again. And again. It was a fantastic showing for Australia’s Su Oh. In the past, Jutanugarn probably falters down the stretch and hands the 19-year old Oh the victory. Not this time. Su Oh will have her day in the winner’s circle…it will just be another day.

 

ALL PICS CLICK TO ENLARGE

1 ARIYA JUTANUGARN (-14)

 

2 SU OH (-13)

 

T3 SEI-YOUNG KIM (-12)

 

T3 GERINA PILLER (-12)

 

T5 PORNANONG PHATLUM (-10)

 

T5 LEXI THOMPSON (-10)

 

Sorry, missing pictures for Mi-Jung Hur, one of my favorites.

 

LEADERBOARD

Pos	Name	1	2	3	4	Today	Total	Strokes	Purse
1	Ariya Jutanugarn	69	69	65	67	-4	-14	270	$195,000
2	Su-Hyun Oh	69	70	67	65	-6	-13	271	$119,198
T3	Sei Young Kim	67	72	67	66	-5	-12	272	$76,680
T3	Gerina Piller	67	71	68	66	-5	-12	272	$76,680
T5	Mi Jung Hur	69	71	70	64	-7	-10	274	$44,921
T5	Lexi Thompson	72	69	67	66	-5	-10	274	$44,921
T5	Pornanong Phatlum	67	72	65	70	-1	-10	274	$44,921
T8	Anna Nordqvist	70	70	69	66	-5	-9	275	$30,673
T8	Brittany Lincicome	66	73	69	67	-4	-9	275	$30,673
T10	Caroline Masson	67	70	71	68	-3	-8	276	$23,049
T10	Jessica Korda	69	68	70	69	-2	-8	276	$23,049
T10	Minjee Lee	66	71	68	71	E	-8	276	$23,049
T10	So Yeon Ryu	71	64	69	72	+1	-8	276	$23,049
T10	In Gee Chun	73	69	62	72	+1	-8	276	$23,049
T15	Mo Martin	70	69	70	68	-3	-7	277	$17,925
T15	Amelia Lewis	69	68	71	69	-2	-7	277	$17,925
T15	Mika Miyazato	65	71	70	71	E	-7	277	$17,925
T18	Austin Ernst	68	71	71	68	-3	-6	278	$14,771
T18	Brittany Altomare	71	72	67	68	-3	-6	278	$14,771
T18	Lydia Ko	73	68	68	69	-2	-6	278	$14,771
T18	Chella Choi	68	74	65	71	E	-6	278	$14,771
T18	Cristie Kerr	68	74	64	72	+1	-6	278	$14,771
T18	Laetitia Beck	67	72	66	73	+2	-6	278	$14,771
T24	Hyo Joo Kim	70	72	70	67	-4	-5	279	$12,693
T24	Sakura Yokomine	71	69	69	70	-1	-5	279	$12,693
T26	Karrie Webb	73	67	70	70	-1	-4	280	$10,898
T26	Brooke Henderson	70	71	71	68	-3	-4	280	$10,898
T26	Kelly Shon	73	70	70	67	-4	-4	280	$10,898
T26	Hee Young Park	72	69	67	72	+1	-4	280	$10,898
T26	Stacy Lewis	70	66	70	74	+3	-4	280	$10,898
T26	Amy Yang	69	67	69	75	+4	-4	280	$10,898
T32	Sandra Changkija	71	69	70	71	E	-3	281	$8,214
T32	Suzann Pettersen	71	70	69	71	E	-3	281	$8,214
T32	Ayako Uehara	69	74	67	71	E	-3	281	$8,214
T32	Jenny Shin	74	69	67	71	E	-3	281	$8,214
T32	Sandra Gal	67	73	69	72	+1	-3	281	$8,214
T32	Kim Kaufman	71	70	71	69	-2	-3	281	$8,214
T32	Ryann O’Toole	69	69	74	69	-2	-3	281	$8,214
T32	Alejandra Llaneza	70	69	67	75	+4	-3	281	$8,214
T40	Lindy Duncan	72	68	70	72	+1	-2	282	$6,145
T40	Beatriz Recari	71	72	69	70	-1	-2	282	$6,145
T40	Moriya Jutanugarn	67	72	70	73	+2	-2	282	$6,145
T40	Mirim Lee	72	69	68	73	+2	-2	282	$6,145
T40	Marina Alex	72	69	67	74	+3	-2	282	$6,145
T40	Tiffany Joh	68	70	69	75	+4	-2	282	$6,145
T46	Perrine Delacour	73	67	71	72	+1	-1	283	$4,959
T46	I.K. Kim	70	71	70	72	+1	-1	283	$4,959
T46	Katie Burnett	72	71	69	71	E	-1	283	$4,959
T46	Azahara Munoz	69	71	69	74	+3	-1	283	$4,959
T46	Ai Miyazato	72	71	70	70	-1	-1	283	$4,959
T51	Christine Song	71	71	70	72	+1	E	284	$4,307
T51	Brittany Lang	69	74	70	71	E	E	284	$4,307
T51	Lee-Anne Pace	73	67	73	71	E	E	284	$4,307
T54	Laura Davies	72	68	72	73	+2	+1	285	$3,850
T54	Lizette Salas	69	71	72	73	+2	+1	285	$3,850
T54	Felicity Johnson	68	70	74	73	+2	+1	285	$3,850
T54	Na Yeon Choi	72	70	71	72	+1	+1	285	$3,850
T58	Ji Young Oh	71	71	70	74	+3	+2	286	$3,226
T58	Haru Nomura	72	69	71	74	+3	+2	286	$3,226
T58	Jennifer Johnson	71	70	71	74	+3	+2	286	$3,226
T58	Candie Kung	74	68	72	72	+1	+2	286	$3,226
T58	Sydnee Michaels	71	72	71	72	+1	+2	286	$3,226
T58	Amy Anderson	70	70	74	72	+1	+2	286	$3,226
T58	Morgan Pressel	71	71	75	69	-2	+2	286	$3,226
T65	Lee Lopez	70	72	71	74	+3	+3	287	$2,904
T65	Christina Kim	71	71	72	73	+2	+3	287	$2,904
T67	Megan Khang	69	73	72	74	+3	+4	288	$2,774
T67	Mariajo Uribe	71	70	78	69	-2	+4	288	$2,774
T69	Jennifer Song	67	74	71	77	+6	+5	289	$2,602
T69	Kelly Tan	73	69	71	76	+5	+5	289	$2,602
T69	Simin Feng	71	70	72	76	+5	+5	289	$2,602
T69	Joanna Klatten	70	73	73	73	+2	+5	289	$2,602
73	Sarah Jane Smith	71	71	73	75	+4	+6	290	$2,512
74	Demi Runas	74	67	73	77	+6	+7	291	$2,480
75	Mina Harigae	73	70	76	73	+2	+8	292	$2,450
76	Meena Lee	68	72	75	80	+9	+11	295	$2,419
T77	Holly Clyburn	76	68	MC	MC	–	–	144	–
T77	Min Seo Kwak	74	70	MC	MC	–	–	144	–
T77	Xi Yu Lin	75	69	MC	MC	–	–	144	–
T77	Pernilla Lindberg	71	73	MC	MC	–	–	144	–
T77	Paula Reto	72	72	MC	MC	–	–	144	–
T77	Nontaya Srisawang	73	71	MC	MC	–	–	144	–
T77	Budsabakorn Sukapan	72	72	MC	MC	–	–	144	–
T77	Pannarat Thanapolboonyar	72	72	MC	MC	–	–	144	–
T77	Alison Walshe	73	71	MC	MC	–	–	144	–
T86	Dani Holmqvist	73	72	MC	MC	–	–	145	–
T86	Vicky Hurst	68	77	MC	MC	–	–	145	–
T86	Daniela Iacobelli	74	71	MC	MC	–	–	145	–
T86	Juli Inkster	73	72	MC	MC	–	–	145	–
T86	Sarah Kemp	71	74	MC	MC	–	–	145	–
T86	SooBin Kim	71	74	MC	MC	–	–	145	–
T86	Maria McBride	73	72	MC	MC	–	–	145	–
T86	Angela Stanford	75	70	MC	MC	–	–	145	–
T86	Julie Yang	71	74	MC	MC	–	–	145	–
T95	Carlota Ciganda	71	75	MC	MC	–	–	146	–
T95	Paula Creamer	73	73	MC	MC	–	–	146	–
T95	Brianna Do	74	72	MC	MC	–	–	146	–
T95	Min Lee	71	75	MC	MC	–	–	146	–
T95	Giulia Molinaro	72	74	MC	MC	–	–	146	–
T95	Annie Park	73	73	MC	MC	–	–	146	–
T95	Yani Tseng	71	75	MC	MC	–	–	146	–
T102	Lisa Ferrero	75	72	MC	MC	–	–	147	–
T102	Se Ri Pak	74	73	MC	MC	–	–	147	–
T102	Marion Ricordeau	71	76	MC	MC	–	–	147	–
T102	Jing Yan	73	74	MC	MC	–	–	147	–
T106	Cydney Clanton	75	73	MC	MC	–	–	148	–
T106	Casey Grice	77	71	MC	MC	–	–	148	–
T106	Natalie Gulbis	74	74	MC	MC	–	–	148	–
T106	Wei-Ling Hsu	72	76	MC	MC	–	–	148	–
T106	P.K. Kongkraphan	76	72	MC	MC	–	–	148	–
T106	Maude-Aimee Leblanc	74	74	MC	MC	–	–	148	–
T106	Benyapa Niphatsophon	75	73	MC	MC	–	–	148	–
T106	Jane Rah	74	74	MC	MC	–	–	148	–
T106	Cyna Marie Rodriguez	74	74	MC	MC	–	–	148	–
T106	Bertine Strauss	74	74	MC	MC	–	–	148	–
T106	Cheyenne Woods	76	72	MC	MC	–	–	148	–
T106	Sun Young Yoo	75	73	MC	MC	–	–	148	–
T118	Ssu-Chia Cheng	75	74	MC	MC	–	–	149	–
T118	Jacqui Concolino	74	75	MC	MC	–	–	149	–
T118	Julieta Granada	74	75	MC	MC	–	–	149	–
T118	Celine Herbin	73	76	MC	MC	–	–	149	–
T118	Haeji Kang	76	73	MC	MC	–	–	149	–
T118	Katherine Kirk	77	72	MC	MC	–	–	149	–
T118	Belen Mozo	73	76	MC	MC	–	–	149	–
T118	Sadena Parks	75	74	MC	MC	–	–	149	–
T118	Samantha Richdale	76	73	MC	MC	–	–	149	–
T118	Rachel Rohanna	75	74	MC	MC	–	–	149	–
T118	Britney Yada	76	73	MC	MC	–	–	149	–
129	Michelle Wie	72	78	MC	MC	–	–	150	–
T130	Dori Carter	78	73	MC	MC	–	–	151	–
T130	Giulia Sergas	79	72	MC	MC	–	–	151	–
T132	Nannette Hill	75	77	MC	MC	–	–	152	–
T132	Stephanie Kono	76	76	MC	MC	–	–	152	–
T132	Ashlan Ramsey	75	77	MC	MC	–	–	152	–
T135	Jaye Marie Green	77	76	MC	MC	–	–	153	–
T135	Eun-Hee Ji	81	72	MC	MC	–	–	153	–
T135	Becky Morgan	74	79	MC	MC	–	–	153	–
T135	Kris Tamulis	76	77	MC	MC	–	–	153	–
139	Grace Na	78	77	MC	MC	–	–	155	–
140	Lauren Greenlief	82	75	MC	MC	–	–	157	–
T141	Emee Herbert	78	82	MC	MC	–	–	160	–
T141	Briana Mao	81	79	MC	MC	–	–	160	–
143	Alison Lee	79	83	MC	MC	–	–	162	–
144	Inbee Park	74	WD	WD	WD	–	–	74