by Colin Farquharson
Germany’s 22-year-old Caroline Masson, ranked 141st in the world and without a win since she turned pro in January 2010, leads the star-studded field into Sunday’s final round of the Ricoh Women’s British Open championship over the Carnoustie links.
Overnight leader by one shot at 11 under par, the girl from Gladbeck raised the bar to 15 under par by the end of an incredible round in which she had increased her advantage to five shots after only six holes – despite starting the day with a bogey which immediately raised doubts about whether she had the experience to withstand the pressure of being in the Major spotlight with world-class players snapping at her heels.
Caroline demolished the doubts by birdieing the second, fifth and sixth.
Out in two-under-34, she had further birdies at the 11th, 14th and 17th before finishing her round as she had started it – with a one-putt bogey after being in a bunker.
Unexpectedly, it was her nearest challengers at the halfway oint that could not keep up with her blistering pace.
So the stage is set for a crowd-pulling last day at this famous venue.
Masson, with rounds of 68, 65 and 68 against the par of 72, leads on 15-under-par 201.
Lying second is the defending champion and World No 1 from Taiwan, Yani Tseng, 22 years old but already winner of four Majors. Yani has shot 71, 66 and 66 to be only two shots off the lead on 13-under-par 203.
Scotland’s Catriona Matthew from North Berwick, winner of this title two years ago and ranked No 5 in the world, played herself into the reckoning with a bogey-free round and scores of 70, 69 and 68 (Ben Hogan improved every round when he won the Open at Carnoustie in 1953) for nine-under-par 207 put her in joint third place with the World No 13 and former US Open winner, Inbee Park (South Korea) who had scores of 70, 64 and 73.
Next comes another South Korean, World No 5 Na Yeon Choi ho is on eight-under 208 after scores of 69, 67 and 72.
Se Ri Pak, the legendary South Korean trailblazer is joint sixth on 209 with rouonds of 72, 64 and 73. On the ame mark is the leading American in this event, Brittany Lang (70-70-69) and Sweden’s Sophie Gustafson (68-71-70).
“I was quite nervous at the beginning and I bogeyed the first,” said Caroline Masson, “but I got a few birdies after that and that boosted my confidence.
“I hit some really good shots even though the pins were in much tougher places and there was more of a wind than the previous days.”
This is only Caroline’s second major tournament appearance. So what does she think about it all?
“To be honest, I can’t really believe it. It’s a strange feeling and I am just trying to enjoy every moment. I slept well last night and I am very excited about playing with the World No 1, Yani Tseng, in the final round.”
Does she have any inkling why she has done so well out of the blue in the Ricoh Women’s British Open?
“It’s hard to say. I’ve been kind of waiting for everything to fall into place. I’ve been waiting for all the parts I’ve been practising and working on to come together – and it has happened over the past three days at Carnoustie.”
Yani Tseng, not surprisingly, is feeling on top of the world after stringing together a second successive 66. If she finishes up on Sunday by winning back-to-back titles, the pundits will say she started her charge over the first five holes of the inward half today.
From the 10th, Yani scored 3-3-4-2-3 which translates into birdie-birdie-par,birdie-eagle! What a sensational run – and leader Caroline heard the roars of the gallery.
“I just can’t wait to get out there again on Sunday,” said the chirpy, cheerful Taiwanese. “ I am going to be aggressive, as I was today, and try my best on every shot. I can do no more than that,
“I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself by saying I can do this or that. As I say I will try my best on every shot.”
Catriona Matthew had a flawless round of 68 with birdies at te fifth, 11th, 14th and 17th in halves of 35 and 33.
She will start te final day, six shots behind Caroline Masson and four behind Yani Tseng.
“I’d like to probably be a little bit closer but I think it’s supposed to be a little bit windier tomorrow so five or six shots can be picked up pretty quickly in those sort of conditions,” said Catriona.
“I was very pleased with the way I played today. I made a couple of good par saves in the first couple of holes, then birdied the fifth. That was a really good birdie with a six-iron approach.”
Quite a few of the South Koreans seemed to struggle over their third rounds. For instance, first-round leader Meena Lee, still in contention at the start of the day, ran up an 8 at one hole and finished with an 80 for 214 and a share of 28th place. Se Ri Park could do no better than 73, the same as Inbee Park
Said Catriona Matthew:
“Certainly I think the pin positions were tougher. You had to play away from a lot of the pins, certainly over the first few holes and it was windier today, so the course was playing a little bit trickier than for the first two rounds. Maybe they’re not used to playing this kind of links course in the wind. Although Yani Tseng is te world No 1 and I think she knows how to play in it.”
The duel for the Smythe Silver Medal for the leading amateur is favouring last year’s United States girls champion, Danielle King, who had a 75 for level par 216. She is six shots ahead of the only other amateur qualifier for the last two rounds, Germany’s Sophia Popov who is highly rated on the US college circuit. Sopia had a 77 for 222.
SUNDAY'S LEADING TEE TIMES
07.40 Kylie Walker and Hee=Won Han.
08.10 Janice Moodie and Virginie Lagoutte-Clement.
08.40 Danielle Kang (amateur) and Morgan Pressel.
09.20 Cristie Kerr and Suzann Pettersen
09.40 Meena Lee and Caroline Hedwall.
10.10 Michelle Wie and Hee-Kyung Seo.
10.55 Karrie Webb and Stacy Lewis.
11.55 Mika Miyazato and Paula Creamer.
12.05 Sun Young Yoo and Anna Nordqvist.
12.15 Se Ri Pak and Sophie Gustafson.
12.25 Brittany Lang and Na Yeon Choi
12.35 Inbee Park and Catriona Matthew.
12.45 Yani Tseng and Caroline Masson
- Posted using BlogPress from Carol's iPhone
Ladies Golf News in Scotland, the West of Scotland and Renfrewshire
