Ariya Jutanugarn had it in the bag at the U.S. Women’s Open. With nine holes left, a seven stroke lead and a long game (without a driver) that is as long as PGA Tour players she was coasting. Then s**t happens. That’s golf I guess. She triple bogeyed ten and the wheels fell off in a big way. Stumbling to the finish with bogeys on her last two holes put her in a playoff with Hoo Joo Kim who had putted her way to an amazing finish. 
The playoff was less then spectacular as the two couldn’t follow one good shot with another. Kim would fail with her approaches after finding the fairway and Jutanugarn was playing from the rough throughout. The recoveries from the bunkers were the highlights of the playoff with Jutanugarn playing an amazing shot on the fourth playoff hole to get up and down for a winning par.
Beautiful it wasn’t but Jutanugarn avoided a crushing loss that could have damaged her for some time. The best writers in women’s golf have it all covered here.
Ron Sirak called this “one of the most demanding championship in history.” On a Sunday in which Hyo Joo Kim tested her by applying withering pressure with a sizzling putter, Ariya Jutanugarn captured the 73rd U.S. Women’s Open conducted by the USGA after a week at Shoal Creek that was one of the most demanding in major championship history. With washed out practice rounds, early wake up calls and weather delays, it was fitting that it took four playoff holes before Jutanugarn claimed the trophy from Kim and recorded her second major championship victory.
Randall Mell calls Jutanugarn “resilient.” Ariya, who goes by the nickname “May,” has her playful side, but she has another side, too, the one that is responsible for her ability to bounce back from so much adversity in her career.
Beth Ann Nichols praised her poise and purpose. “The player who applauds her opponents’ shots in the heat of battle hadn’t given it away yet. This wasn’t the same Ariya Jutanugarn who tripled the final hole at home in Thailand as a 17-year-old. Nor was it the same player who squandered away a two-shot lead at the ANA Inspiration two years ago. Jutanugarn didn’t panic when her trusty 2-iron went rogue. Didn’t hang her head in despair when she hit fliers out of the Bermuda rough. She might have smiled in disbelief. But she didn’t stop believing.”
And despite her collapse she managed to display her true self. She is known as a kind, friendly, generous girl that smiles and laughs all the time. We watched her applaud Kim’s good shots and even managed a small smile or two in spite of the pressure she was bearing.
It certainly was a final round filled with ups (mostly for Kim) and downs (for Jutanugarn) but when the dust settled it was Jutanugarn, a twenty-two year old, long hitting specialist that was holding the trophy. And after surviving this cauldron of pressure I can’t imagine that she’ll get anything but better. If she ever learns to hit her driver…it’s all over for the rest of the LPGA.
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