Ladies Scottish Open Preview & 4 players to watch

Date: 08/08/19

Location: North Berwick, Scotland

Course: The Renaissance Club

Prize Fund: $1,500,000

Yardage: 6,480

Defending Champion: Ariya Jutanugarn (Thailand) (-13)

The ending leg of the European swing for the LPGA is the Scottish Open. The event will see a mix of the best players from the LPGA and the LET who meet at The Renaissance Club in Scotland.

Ariya Jutanugarn won the title last year at Gullane Golf Club beating Australian Minjee Lee by 1 shot in an epic last day duel. It looks like it may be a wet week up in Scotland, lets hope the sun comes out so as many fans come and watch as possible.

There are now only a few Days left before the European Solheim Cup team is finalized. The first eight players will be assigned based by LET points accumulated and world rankings positions. Then, Captain Catriona Matthew will announce her four captain’s picks the day after the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open concludes, so this is the last chance for the LET players to impress. Below we look at 4 players who could be lifting the trophy come Sunday night.

Ariya Jutanugarn (Thailand)

Ariya, won this event last year and was 44th in 2017. They were played on different courses but both were links style courses. Ariya, said in her press conference on Tuesday “I don’t really like links golf and it’s not because of the courses, but because it’s so tough for me,When I came back here, I said to my caddie, ‘It’s so tough, but he said, ‘just be patient.’”

Ariya has certainly rediscovered her form and she is currently on a hot streak of finishes chasing down her first victory of the year. Last week at the British Open she was hitting her 3 wood long and low which will put her in good stead here this week.

She was 11th last week at the Open and 5th the week before at the Evian Championship. Before that back in the states she finished 2nd and 3rd at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational and the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic respectively.

She has had 7 top 10's in 19 starts this year and is currently ranked 5th in the world and 13th on the race to the globe. She is currently 2nd for birdies and eagles made this season, so if she keeps the bogeys of her card she should be the one to catch.

Minjee Lee (Australia)

Lee, makes her third career appearance at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open where she has recorded two top 10s. She finished in second place in 2018 behind Ariya and 8th in 2017. Lee is a great player in the wind and if it gets up this week she should be the main threat to the field.

Minjee, has had 1 win this season at the the LA Open, she has also had 6 top 10s from her 19 starts this year. Lee, finished 11th at the Open after missing her first cut since the beginning of February at the Evian Championship. Before the Evian she finished runner up at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational

Lee, is currently 4th in the world and 4th on the race to the globe and is the leading birdie maker on tour this year with 272!

Hyo Joo Kim (South Korea)

Hyo Joo Kim, was unlucky not to win the Evian Championship. She had a 2 shot lead heading down 14 before plugging in the face of the bunker and taking a triple bogey 6! eventually finishing runner up to Ko.

Kim, has 9 top 10's in her 13 starts, which is very impressive and has led her to 16th in world and 11th on race tot he globe. She finished 24th at the British Open. Before heading to the Evian Championship she had 4 top 10 finishes in a row including a runner up spot at the Arkansas Championship.

Kim, is currently the best putter on tour and is 1st on putts per GIR and putting average with 1.72 and 27.89 respectively.

Moriya Jutanugarn (Thailand)

Moriya, finished 35th here last year and 44th in 2017. However, she is playing better golf now and is in really on hot form heading into the Scottish Open. She was hitting her driver beautifully with a low ball flight at the Open which could suit her game here.

She finished 11th at the British Open and 6th at the Evian Championship, before she left the US she finished 3rd at the Dow Great Lakes Championship.

Moriya, has had 6 top 10's in her 19 starts this year moving her to 23rd in the world and 23rd in the race to the globe. Currently 13th this season on putts per GIR with 1.77