Ariya Jutanugarn was flirting with another Sunday meltdown, her six-stroke lead down to one after a double bogey on the par-4 13th at tree-lined Woburn.
Her late collapse in the ANA Inspiration nearly as recent as her three straight LPGA Tour victories, the 20-year-old Thai player held on to win the Women's British Open for her first major title.
"I think everything in the past is good for me, because I learned a lot from that," Jutanugarn said. "I know how to come back. I know how to be like patient. Feels like everybody going to have like bad times in their life and I think I have that already."
Jutanugarn played the final five holes in 1 under for an even-par 72 and a three-stroke victory over American Mo Martin and South Korea's Mirim Lee. The winner finished at 16-under 272 on the Marquess Course, the hilly, forest layout that is a big change from the usual seaside layouts in the tournament rotation.
The long-hitter left driver out of the bag and hammered 3-wood and 2-iron off the tee.
"It's in my locker. Hope nobody steal it," she said.
In April at the ANA in the California desert, Jutanugarn — at the time, best known for blowing a two-stroke lead with a closing triple bogey at age 17 in the 2013 LPGA Thailand — bogeyed the final three holes to hand the major title to Lydia Ko.
"After ANA, I'm still really nervous," Jutanugarn said. "But I'm pretty sure I learned a lot from that, also, because like after I feel nervous, I know what I have to do. Like last few holes, I tried to be patient and to commit to my shots."
