28th July 2015 | Sunshine Ladies Tour
Who will triumph at Turnberry?
Turnberry hosted the Ricoh British Women’s Open for the first time in 2002, the second year it was played as a Major .World Golf and LPGA Halls of Famer Karrie Webb claimed her sixth major championship after finishing at 15-under par, two shots clear of Michelle Ellis and Paula Marti. Webb will be making her 14th apÂpearance at this championship.
Rolex Rankings number one Inbee Park has two shots left at a Career Grand Slam this season and could become just the seventh woman in history to achieve the feat.
The South Korean golfer claimed the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship for the third-consecutive year for her sixth Major title and is tied for ninth with Pat Bradley, Betsy King, Patty Sheehan and Kathy Whitworth in the All-Time Major Winners list. If Park triumphs at Turnberry, she will join Juli Inkster and Karrie Webb in seventh on the all-time list and be tied for most wins among active players.
While Park hopes to add her name to more records, American Lexi Thompson and Australian Rebecca Artis could be the players to watch this week.
Fifteen months since winning the Ana Inspiration, Major winner Thompson tapped in for par at the 18th at Grand Rapids to capture her fifth career win in the Meijer LPGA Classic Presented by Kraft.
The Florida native entered the final round four shots behind compatriot Lizette Salas, but made up the deficit with birdies on four of her first seven holes. She collected four more on her way to a final round 65 edge out Salas and fellow American Gerina Piller by one stroke on a winning total of on 18-under-par 266.
Artis wiped out a six stroke deficit on third round leader Suzann Pettersen to claim her second Ladies European Tour title at the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open.
The Australian closed with a six under 66 in blustery and wet conditions at the Dundonald Links in North Ayrshire to finish two strokes ahead of world number seven Pettersen.
England’s Holly Clyburn ended two shots back in third on two under, while world number two Lydia Ko from New Zealand, Klara Spilkova from the Czech Republic and England’s Hannah Burke shared fourth on one under.
Meanwhile defending champion Mo Martin’s season was derailed by a thumb injury shortly after her Major breakthrough in the 2014 Ricoh British Women’s Open in Southport a year ago.
Martin has one top- 10 finish – a tie for 10th at the ShopRite LPGA Classic – this season and has missed four cuts in 18 starts. She tied for 22nd alongside South Africa’s Lee-Anne Pace in her last start at the LPGA’s Marathon Classic a fortnight ago.
The official Ricoh Women’s British Open photo call took place in front of the iconic lighthouse on the Ailsa Course ahead of the 39th Championship, starting Thursday 30th July. The field includes the world’s top 20 ranked players, who share 51 Major titles.
PHOTO – Bryce McCulloch, Piper at Trump Turnberry Resort, Lydia Ko, Paula Creamer, Charley Hull, defending Champion Mo Martin, Shanshan Feng, Catriona Matthew, Dame Laura Davies and Michelle Wie; credit Getty Images
