Women’s Open proving as tough as any major

BY BRENDAN JAMES AT ROYAL MELBOURNE GOLF CLUB

Firm and fast Royal Melbourne greens have combined with searing heat to turn the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open into a championship as tough as any major.

That’s the general consensus of the leaders, Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn and World No.1 Lydia Ko, who head into the final round at seven under. They are one stroke clear of Korea’s Amy Yang, with Queensland’s Katherine Kirk and Paraguay’s Julieta Granada a further stroke back.

Katherine Kirk salutes the crowd after her round of 70. PHOTO: Getty Images

Kirk, who was runner up to Su Oh at last week’s RACV Ladies Masters, fired a three under 70 to march into contention for the Patricia Bridges Bowl.

At one stage, she was seven shots behind the leaders after bogies at the 3^rd and 7^th holes. But a run of birdies at 9, 11, 13, 14, 15 and 16, with one bogey thrown in, proved the Royal Melbourne greens were receptive to good putting.

“The front nine, I really struggled with the speed of the greens and I guess I just figured it out on the back nine so it was nice,” said Kirk, who hasn’t won a big tournament in nearly five years.

“But even the par putt on 17, I was just over it and (thinking) ‘ok, just put a good stroke on it and if it goes in, great’. That’s all you can do. Stroked it well on the back nine so I’m pretty happy.

“I think you know you’re going to make bogeys. It’s just a tough golf course and they’re inevitable. My mindset all week has been just grind it out. I certainly didn’t expect to make as many birdies as I did today … it’s going to be a grind out here from start to finish. There’s not a tee shot you stand up on and say, ‘ok, this is an easy hole’.”

There were 13 players under par at the start of round three and just two players at even par. The predicted hot weather arrived mid morning, with northerly winds gusting to nearly 30km an hour, which put a cap on any low scoring by the morning players aiming to close the gap on the leaders.

By the time the final group of Ko and Korea’s Ha Na Jang reached the 1^st tee, the mercury was nudging 35 degrees and the wind had dropped to a mere zephyr. But it didn’t make it any easier for the players to post sub-par scores on the hardening Royal Melbourne Composite course.

By day’s end, just 18 players scored better than the par of 73, with day’s best score coming from Korea’s Ilhee Lee, who bounced back from a shocking 82 in the second round, to card a four under 69.

It was a day where par needed to be respected and players had to be patient … very patient.

Ko followed up her opening two rounds of 70 with a hard fought 72 where birdies often came straight after a bogey. She says she’s hanging in there and continuing to play smart despite the frustration of not making many birdies.

“It’s a little bit frustrating when you’re hitting greens, you go, ‘ok, I’m on the green, I should really be coming off with a birdie’,” she said. “The other half of my mind is like, ‘ok, Lydia, be safe, make a two-putt’. It’s kind of frustrating but then I think you just need to calm down.

Ariya Jutanugarn fires an iron into the 9th green. PHOTO: Getty Images

“There are some par-5s where you can get on for two and make your birdies there. On a course like this, unless you really get going on a putting streak, you’re not going to make seven, eight birdies and shoot the most incredible eight under.

“I think this course you really have to play smart and when you have those chances, try and grab it because birdies are hard to get.”

Jutanugarn opened her third round with a bogey but evened the ledger with a terrific close range birdie on the 9^th. Another bogey at the 12^th annoyed the 19-year-old but she bounced back with birdies at the 14^th and 17^th to finish with a one under 72.

She shares the lead but it has been hard work for the big-hitter, who naturally likes to attack a golf course and try to make plenty of birdies. Royal Melbourne simply won’t allow players to get away with being that aggressive.

“First time I saw this golf course, I felt like its really hard, really challenging,” she said. “My game plan is be patient and not hit driver and go for it on every hole.

“I think it’s a bit like a British Open course … very hard.

“It’s really challenging for me because normally I go for it every hole, every shot, but the first time I saw this course, I felt like I can’t play this course because I have to be really patient and only hit 18 degree (hybrid) on the tee shot or 3-wood.”

World No.1 Lydia Ko says she has been frustrated on the greens. PHOTO: Getty Images

She says Royal Melbourne is teaching her to be patient.

“After the first round I learned a lot from this golf course. It’s pretty hard to putt, everything is pretty hard on this golf course,” Jutanugarn added.

Ko agreed that Royal Melbourne and its wonderful greens definitely make this Women’s Open as difficult as a major championship to win.

“Just to see how tough it is, it does kind of feel like a major,” Ko said.

“The greens are really difficult. I’m scratching my head over a three-footer or a 30-footer. It’s really tough and because (the hole) is so tight, the lip outs, they hurt. And because it is so firm, it affects the shots that are coming into the green also.”

Kirk echoed the sentiments of Ko and Jutanugarn.

“In fact, my caddie and I were talking about how much it reminds us of Pinehurst in terms of the dry rough and the whispy grass around the greens and the run offs and certainly the firmness of the greens,” Kirk said. “It does feel like a major yes.”

Kirk, whose best finish in a major was runner-up in the 2010 Women’s British Open, said it might be clichéd but to win tomorrow she will have to grind and play “one shot at a time”.

“When you’re playing a golf course as difficult as this, you kind of don’t really have any expectations, other than you’ve just got to keep your head down and fight until the last hole,” Kirk said. “Tomorrow I won’t probably think too much about it other than playing one shot at a time. I know that’s really clichéd but around here, you have to stay totally in the moment because every shot is demanding.”

Earlier in the day, defending champion Karrie Webb and old touring mate Rachel Hetherington were reunited to play the third round.

The duo, who finished right on the cut line at five over, jumped more than 30 spots up the leaderboard by carding a pair of two under 71s.

“It was fun,” Webb smiled. “We we’re joking on the range, because there wasn’t many people there at seven o’clock this morning, that it was ladies Saturday social. We had a good time.”

Hetherington added: “Actually, there’s not a lot of players that I know and am familiar with this week so it was great to be out with Karrie.

“We’ve been trying to catch up for a while so we haven’t been able to do that for dinner this week so I guess we did it on the golf course.”

Rachel Hetherington and Karrie Webb share a joke as they walk during their round. PHOTO: Getty Images

And their strategies for climbing further up the leaderboard on Sunday?

“Strategy, I just want to go and rest my feet. It’s been three days now in a row and I’ve got one more to go,” Hetherington laughed.

“No, I’m actually just going to get home, have a nice afternoon, I have my daughter at home, so have a nice afternoon, early to bed and get out and play solid tomorrow.”

Webb’s plan was slightly different.

“Well I’m taking my nieces to Luna Park this afternoon and then hopefully a solid day tomorrow,” the five-time Open Champion said. “I think today’s the first time I’ve shot under par around Royal Melbourne so it’s a step in the right direction.”

While Webb and Hetherington will be looking to score bigger prizemoney cheques, Kirk will be the sole Australian hope of a victory on Sunday afternoon and she’s excited about the prospect of claiming the Patricia Bridges Bowl.

“I’d be very honoured to lift that trophy,” the 32-year-old said. “I actually had the pleasure of travelling on an Australian team in 2002 to Malaysia to play the (World Amateur Teams Championship) and Patricia made the trip and she’s just an incredible lady.

“I’d be delighted to hoist the trophy and certainly proud to fly the flag for Australia tomorrow.”

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