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A18 SPORTS
Tuesday 24 april 2018
Moriya Jutanugarn claims LPGA L.A. tourney for 1st tour win

By BETH HARRIS, AP Sports ing out of bounds for an-
Writer other birdie at 15 to lead
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mori- by three.
ya Jutanugarn knows pa- Jutanugarn ran into trou-
tience. She’s had ample ble on the par-4 16th. Her
time to learn it while pursu- approach landed on the
ing her first victory on the green and rolled off it, stop-
LPGA Tour. ping inches from dropping
Jutanugarn broke through into a bunker. Her chip shot
Sunday in her sixth year, ran well past the hole and
winning the HUGEL-JTBC LA her par putt just missed
Open by two shots to make catching the edge of the
her and sister Ariya the sec- cup. That left her with a
ond set of siblings to win on short putt for bogey, her
the tour. first in her previous 28 holes,
“I just work on what I have trimming her lead to two
to do and just be patient,” shots. Jutanugarn’s three-
said Jutanugarn, who was some had to wait on 17 for
the picture of calm while a while, giving her time to
her sister and mother got think about the finish.
emotional. “I changed my focus to
“They actually cried more something else and when
than me,” she said. “It was I have to hit the ball I kind
great. I’m always feeling of bring it back,” she said.
the support from them.” Moriya Jutanugarn, of Thailand, poses with her trophy after winning the HUGEL-JTBC LA Open golf “I don’t want to be going
The 23-year-old from Thai- tournament at Wilshire Country Club, Sunday, April 22, 2018, in Los Angeles. crazy with what’s going on
land shot a 3-under 68 for Associated Press the last hole.”
a 12-under 272 Sunday at older sister’s final holes, bit- compare each other. We So Yeon Ryu (68) finished Ko’s tee shot on 18 landed
Wilshire Country Club in the ing her nails, covering her just know we going to do fourth at 7 under. Ameri- about 4 feet from the cup,
tour’s return to Los Angeles mouth and finally crying as our best and try our hard- can Emma Talley (67) and giving her a chance to cut
after a 13-year absence. Moriya two-putted to close est.” Eun-Hee Ji (71) tied for fifth Jutanugarn’s lead to one
Jutanugarn won in her it out. Hall of Famer Inbee Park at 6 under, making Ji one of shot with the Thai facing a
156th start after three ca- “I was really nervous,” Ariya shot a 68 to tie for second four South Koreans to place long birdie attempt.
reer runner-up finishes, in- said. “I know she can do it, with Jin Young Ko (70). in the top five. But Ko missed, leaving Juta-
cluding at the Honda LPGA but I was just rooting for her Park had opportunities, but Jutanugarn began the fi- nugarn room to maneuver.
Thailand in February. She so much.” she wasn’t able to put pres- nal round with a two-shot Her birdie bid came up a
had 21 top-10 finishes be- Annika and Charlotta So- sure on Jutanugarn playing lead and never wavered couple feet short, but she
fore winning. renstam were the first sisters together in the final three- in fulfilling the potential she calmly parred the hole to
“I feel like not only her reach to win on the LPGA Tour. some. However, Park will re- first displayed as the LPGA win. Ariya rushed onto the
her goal, but I feel like our The Thai sisters are 16 turn to No. 1 in the world in Rookie of the Year in 2013. green and joined others in
family reach our goal,” Ari- months apart, and don’t Monday’s rankings, knock- After a birdie at the second emptying water bottles on
ya said. “She inspire me a enjoy comparisons to each ing off top-ranked Shensh- hole, she reeled off nine her sister before they em-
lot to be patient.” other. en Fang, who tied for 12th. consecutive pars before braced.
Seven-time winner Ariya “I have my own way to do “That really wasn’t my goal sinking birdie putts at 12 “LPGA, they throw water
tied for 24th after a 70. She things and she has her own playing this year; just came and 13. a lot, but I don’t know if
joined the predominantly way,” Moriya said. as present, so it’s great,” She overcame a tee shot it’s this much,” Jutanugarn
Asian crowd to follow her Ariya added, “We never Park said. that narrowly missed go- said.q

Broadhurst and Triplett win Legends of Golf

RIDGEDALE, Mo. (AP) — Kirk Triplett holed out from a bunker for birdie Broadhurst and Triplett closed with a 6-under 48 on the Top of the Rock
on the first playoff hole Sunday in the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf to par-3 course to match Langer and Lehman at 24 under. Langer and
lift himself and partner Paul Broadhurst past Bernhard Langer and Tom Lehman had a 47, playing the front nine in alternate shot and the back
Lehman. nine in better ball.
“Well, you’re trying to make it, but you know realistically it doesn’t go in The 56-year-old Triplett won his sixth PGA Tour Champions title.
very often,” Triplett said. “You’re trying to give your partner a free run at “That’s a big roller-coaster — three good shots and mine, right?” Triplett
it. You don’t want to hit it up there 20 feet past or do something silly. I’m said. “I’m feeling a little dejected walking down that fairway there, a
just trying to hit it the right distance and get it on the right line.” little sheepish. To knock it in it just reminds you, this game, you know,
Langer and Lehman took it in stride. crazy stuff.”
“You kind of learn to expect it,” Lehman said. “These guys out here are Broadhurst claimed his third senior victory.
so good and Kirk Triplett is a magician around the greens. The odds of “I don’t get too emotional, but that was something special,” the
making that shot are probably not good, but you certainly expect him 52-year-old Englishman said.
to hit a great shot and he did and it went in.” Spanish stars Miguel Angel Jimenez and Jose Maria Olazabal had a 48
Lehman and Langer missed birdie putts after Triplett holed out.” to tie for third with 2017 winners Vijay Singh and Carlos Franco. Singh
“I kind of felt like we both hit pretty good putts, misread them, both of and Franco, the third-round leaders, shot 50.
them,” Lehman said. “I hit mine probably too hard and Bernhard’s was Mark Calcavecchia-Woody Austin (48), John Daly-Michael Allen (49),
too soft, but you have to hand it to the guys who hit the shot when they Steve Stricker-Jerry Kelly (50) and David Toms-Steve Flesch (52) tied for
have to hit it.” fifth at 20 under.q