Ariya Jutanugarn has competed in just three LPGA events in her young career, but it’s hard to tell based on the strong reputation she has already built among her peers.
Jutanugarn, who at 17 years old is too young to become an official LPGA member, is a star on the Ladies European Tour and the leading money winner. She’s worked her way into three LPGA event fields via Monday qualifiers and sponsorship invitations, and placed in the top five of each tournament.
Jutanugarn’s recent success earned her one of two sponsor exemptions to participate in this weekend’s LPGA Kingsmill Championship. So far, she’s made tournament director Wayne Nooe and his staff look like geniuses.
Jutanugarn fired a 7-under 64 on Thursday to place her atop the leaderboard – two strokes ahead of two-time Kingsmill Championship winner Cristie Kerr at 5-under – entering Friday’s second round.
The Thailand native grabbed all the attention right away after birdying six of her first seven holes. After a double bogey on No. 17 – her only setback of the day – Jutanugarn quickly regained composure to finish her round with an up-and-down birdie on 18.
“I’m playing very good,” Jutanugarn said after completing her inaugural round on Kingsmill’s River Course. “I really enjoy playing here … really good course.”
Nooe said extending one of the two invitations to Jutanugarn was an easy decision, but added he never expected a performance like the one she gave. He recalled former Blacksburg High standout Courtney Ellenbogen, who received a sponsor invitation several years back, carding somewhere in the ballpark of a 3-under par first-round score before withdrawing herself two days later, but said it was nothing like the statement Jutanugarn made Thursday.
“Although she isn’t an LPGA player, we knew she could come here and compete,” Nooe said. “She’s one of the top, if not the number one amateur player in the world, but it’s a rarity what she did today. She’s definitely representing herself and the sponsorship exemption about as well as one can.”
Jutanugarn, known more for power than finesse, says she learned a valuable lesson following a devastating finish at an LPGA event earlier in the year in front of her family and friends in Thailand.
Holding a two-stroke lead over current world No. 1 Inbee Park on the final hole, Jutanugarn chose to go for the green rather than lay up from the fairway, which left her ball buried in a bunker. She went on to triple bogey No. 18, which allowed Park to steal the title with a short par putt.
“Very hard,” was how Jutanugarn characterized the experience. “I never forget it. I remember like every single shot I hit because it really was good experience. It made me be a stronger golfer.”
Jutanugarn’s peers have also taken notice of her growing pains, and say the improvement is evident.
“She’s a very talented player and I’m very happy that she’s playing really good, especially after that finish on No. 18,” said Park, who is tied with 14 others at 3-under, four strokes back of Jutanugarn. “It’s always good to see somebody bounce back like that. … She’s really long. She’ll have a big advantage on this golf course.”
Added Kerr, who is two shots off of Jutanugarn at 5-under, “She hits it really long and just kind of aims at the pin and fires it there. That style of play ended up hurting her in Thailand, because had she laid up, she probably would have won the tournament easily, so a little bit of youth there. … But she’s a great player and is going to be a great addition to our Tour when she obviously gets her card full-time.”
Click here to view a photo slideshow of Thursday’s opening round, including video clips from Jutanugarn’s and Kerr’s post-round press conferences.
