17-year-old Jutanugarn leads by 1 at LPGA event
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — Ariya Jutanugarn weathered the wind and kept her lead Friday in the LPGA Tour’s Kingsmill Championship.
The 17-year-old Thai player missed three short par putts early, but rolled in a 45-footer and two others for birdie on the wind-swept River Course in an even-par 71 that gave her a one-stroke lead at 7 under.
A day after shooting a 64, Jutanugarn started with a three-putt bogey on her first hole and, with the wind making it difficult to control the ball, said she tried to play safer than normal, and found that didn’t work.
“It make me want to go back to my game on the back nine,” the normally aggressive player said.
A birdie at the par-5 seventh — her 16th hole of the day — gave her the outright lead, and she finished with two pars.
