By completing her third round with a card of 66 and above all, a total score of -17, the South Korean In-Kyung Kim was offered six strokes ahead of the second tied at -11, Moriya Jutanugarn and Georgia Lobby. A margin that she will have to manage this Sunday to win her first major title. Karine Icher, 13th provisional ten shots from Kim (-7) can hope for a top 10.
By Nathalie Vion

  • Korean In-Kyung Kim during the 3rd round - © Tristan Jones - Source: LET via Flickr

The Ricoh Women's British Open already in the bag?

Folded, not folded, the 2017 Women's British Open? Even before the final games kick off, this Sunday at Kingsbarns, not far from St Andrews, we want to say that the matter is in Kim's bag.

As there are as many Koreans called Kim as there are brands of pure malt whiskeys in Scotland, it should immediately be noted that we are talking about In-Kyung Kim here. Six strokes ahead after three laps!

Thanks to the same impeccable cards (65, 68 and 66) whether it is raining, windy or an improbable sun arising by miracle, the young woman came out of her Saturday with a wonderful total score of -17.

Unstoppable… Even for the duo of 2nd tied, the Thai Moriya Jutanugarn and the English Georgia Hall, who also played very well, but “only” on the basis of a total -11.

One player for the win, nineteen for the 2nd place

Behind, the situation is normal, one might say. Inbee Park, the 2016 Olympic champion in Rio de Janeiro and the American Ally McDonald are 4th at -10. Stacy Lewis is alone 6th at -9. There are then six players tied for 7th at -8.

Same logic for a group of nine girls tied for 13th at -7, including Karine Icher (very good French tournament), Michelle Wie or Lexi Thompson. Basically, among the top twenty ranked Ricoh Women's British Open after three rounds, one player, In-Kyung Kim, is going to play for the win and nothing else. While nineteen players will instead leave to fight tooth and nail ... second place! Of course, anything can happen in sport but Sunday's starting data at Kingsbarns is objectively this.

Like a water lily in the spring dew

But what happened to In-Kyung Kim that caused her to go wild like this in the fourth of the five women's Majors of the season? Already, when it rains, In-Kyung Kim opens like a water lily under the spring dew. Because she once decided that tough conditions are her thing. And then this Saturday, once her lead of six strokes on the peloton well acquired, the golfer of the Pays du Matin Calme also opened her heart.

This very good Ricoh Womens' British Open 2017, she explained, she has been preparing for it for almost six years with a lot of mental preparation work. At the origin of this effort on herself, a bitter memory: that of Ana Inspiration 2012 where she missed a 33 centimeter putt which should have given her her first major title ...

The fear of losing, and even more the fear of winning

The more we talked to him about this "ball" - which nevertheless awaits any champion under pressure - the more In-Kyung Kim felt bad, self-deprecated, even criticized himself.

“It was a very rough time. Behaving like that towards yourself is not very healthy. Through meditation and the Vision 54 program around the mind, I have tried to be able to have some kind of compassion for myself. To show more kindness to myself. And I believe it helps me. "

Demonstration made on the first three days of the "British". There remains a tour, the most important, that of this Sunday, August 6 in Scotland. Kim, despite his huge advance will have to bypass two potential demons: the fear of losing and, more importantly, the fear of winning.

To know more : http://ricohwomensbritishopen.com/