Virginia Golfer Mar / Apr 2017 | Page 30

Menta

Relaxed and consistent,
ARIYA JUTANUGARN began her stirring 2016 run with a win at Kingsmill. Now a cadre of Thai women are ready to follow her lead
by TOM ROBINSON

ON THE TEE before last May’ s Kingsmill Championship pro-am, Ariya Jutanugarn sat doubled over on a drink cooler. Concerned, tournament director Matthew Schulze approached the Thai phenom, who 11 days earlier had become the first from her country to win a LPGA tour event.

“ Are you all right?” Schulze asked. Jet lag, the 20-year-old explained. She was simply exhausted. Justifiably so. In short order, Jutanugarn had captured a one-stroke
28 V IRGINIA G OLFER | M ARCH / A PRIL 2017 vsga. org