Championships - RICOH Women's British Open 2008
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02.08.2008
Billionaire Fudoh Edges One Shot Ahead
Yuri Fudoh edged one step closer to becoming the second Japanese golfer to win one of golf’s Major titles when she carded a two under par 70 to move into a one shot lead over Korea’s Ji Yai Shin after the third round of the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Sunningdale.Fudoh, 31, who has won 45 times on the Japanese LPGA Tour and amassed a little matter of over one billion yen, goes into the final round on 13 under par 203, one shot ahead of Shin and two in front of another Japanese golfer, Ai Miyazato.
Veteran Juli Inkster, 48, striving to become the oldest golfer ever to win one of the women’s Major titles, carded a one under par 71 to share fourth place with compatriot, Christie Kerr, on ten under par 206 while Natalie Gulbis, Taiwan’s Ya-Ni Tseng and two other Koreans, Mi-Hyun Kim and Ji Eun Hee all finished the day tied for sixth on nine under par 207.
Back in 1977, Hisako “Chako” Higuchi became the first Japanese golfer to win a Major when she won the LPGA Championship and 31 years later Fudoh has the opportunity to match that feat if she can produce the same sort of precision golf she has displayed during her opening rounds of 66, 68 and 69.
She started the third round tied with Shin, was still in the same position after both went out in two under par 34, but then gained the lead with a birdie on the 322-yard 11th. Fudoh did drop a shot when she bunkered her approach on the 425-yard par-4 17th but immediately regained the initiative when her nearest rival missed the green and then failed to get up and down on the last.
“I felt I could play without any pressure today,” the Japanese golfer told incredulous members of the media. “I don’t know if I will feel the same or not tomorrow. But I hope I can and play just like I did today.”
Inkster led the Championship after an opening seven under par 65 and can win her eighth Major title if she can cut out the destructive shots that cost her bogeys on 11th and 12th during the penultimate round. More pertinently, in addition to becoming the oldest woman ever to win one of golf’s Majors, she can also set a new record for time span between Major victories (24 years), and also become just the second golfer after Australia’s Karrie Webb to achieve the Super Slam by winning all five of the modern women’s Majors (the du Maurier Classic is no longer on the calendar).
“Yeah, I’m aware of the records,” she said. “Every week, every time I tee up. “But I’ll have to play a little bit better,” she added. “I’m struggling with my swing. I hit some good shots, but the other kind is not so good, so I’m just trying to find a way to keep rolling.”
Annika Sorenstam’s final Major Championship looks like ending without too much of a fanfare. The Swedish former World No. 1 started the final round at level par 144 after two opening rounds of 72 but briefly got to four under par with an eagle two on the 322-yard par-4 11th before dropping back into a share of 38th place with bogeys at the 13th and the 15th.
“Today was a little better,” said Sorenstam before admitting that she would love to be the European Solheim Cup Captain in the future.
“I missed a few shots here and there but I kept it going and when you hole a shot like the 38 yard pitch on the 11th that keeps the momentum going as well.”
“I just want to have a good final round,” she added. “We teed off early this morning but we still had a big crowd. Coming up 18 there was a lot of cheering so tomorrow is going to be very special if it’s anything like that.”
Sorenstam’s compatriot Anna Nordqvist claimed the initiative in the race to win the Smyth Salver awarded to the leading amateur in the Ricoh Women’s British Open field.
The 21 year-old 2008 Ladies’ British Amateur champion carded a fine three under par 69 to go into the final round on four under par 212 and with a six shots ahead of 2007 US Women’s Amateur champion Marie Jose Uribe from Columbia.
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