The South Korean In-Kyung Kim managed to manage a margin of six strokes in advance to afford, this Sunday, August 6 at Kingsbarns, the Ricoh Women's British Open 2017. Her first title in a Major. With a total of -18, Kim is ahead of the English Jodi Ewart Shadoff, 2nd at -16 and a trio of 3rd at -13: Michelle Wie, Caroline Masson and Georgia Hall. On the French side, Karine Icher, the only finalist, finished 23rd at -7.
By Nathalie Vion

  • Korean In-Kyung Kim victorious at the Ricoh Women's British Open 2017 - © Tristan Jones - Source: LET via Flickr

The Ricoh Women's British Open, to heal wounds

She did it ! In-Kyung Kim won his first major tournament well this Sunday in Scotland. With six strokes ahead of her direct following after the third round of the British Open, the South Korean could only lose if she fought herself. If it was his worst enemy. If she cogitated and began to "foil" dramatically. Yes, but that was before! Completed states of mind and shakes when winning.

Five years after a kind of personal trauma experienced at Ana Inspiration 2012 - a 30-centimeter putt missed for the title - In-Kyung Kim reaped the rewards from Kingsbarns of the mental work she had done to regain her injured confidence.

But without breaking Karen Stupples' 19 record

In-Kyung Kim did not crack this time. She even managed as a chef her final turn. The tone was set from par 3 n ° 1 where the young woman, pink cap and royal blue clothes, was on the verge of snapping an ace (a hole-in-one) as an aperitif.

The affair ended in birdie but needless to say that this was the start of a dream. After setting the tournament record on 54 holes the day before (-17, i.e. one stroke less than Ariya Jutanugarn at the British 2016), Kim went to -18 without waiting.

Was she going to smash the record for Karen Stupples, who won the title with -19 in 2009 at Sunningdale? It was in things greatly possible. Except that the new Kim, reprogrammed based on meditation and zen had another strategy…

A "safe" game and the Beatles songs fill your head

It is by playing "safe", by simply keeping this total of -18 acquired from hole # 1 that the future winner would build her success. Only tiny asperities of its Sunday: a birdie at 8 and a bogey at 9. Otherwise? Nine go on the last nine holes. Assessment: a card of 71 and a final -18 acquired in an armchair. With just, to swing a little on the way, songs of the Beatles (his idols always) head full.

Kim could have trembled, however… The danger came from a player born in the land of the “Famous Four of Liverpool”: Jodi Ewart Shadoff. By releasing a fabulous final card of 64 (the same as Michelle Wie in the first round), the young Englishwoman finished 2nd at -16 overall. Two shots behind Kim finally!

Ewart Shadoff and the revival of British women's golf

Ewart Shadoff's performance, in the final round of this major tournament so prestigious around the world, and as she played in front of her own UK home crowd, is remarkable. The Briton was the only one to approach In-Kyung Kim because the trio of third -Michelle Wie, the German Caroline Masson and Georgia Hall-, finished at -13. That is to say five strokes from In-Kyung Kim.

Another remarkable fact: the overall result of the English: Ewart Shadoff 2nd, Hall 3rd, Charley Hull 16th, the little amateur Sophie Lamb 30th, and even Dame Laura Davies, 53, who still crosses the cut to finish 59th tied ... with Lydia Ko and Cristie Kerr! Nothing similar for France.

Karine Icher, 38 and only Blue in the cut, signs a Sunday card of 72 and loses ten places, going from 13th Saturday to 23rd in the final ranking. It's good. It's regular. But that lacks a little tricolor relief.

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