Ryann O’Toole looked like she’d done this sort of thing – win – a thousand times as she made her way down the stretch at Dumbarnie Links. But this was a first for the veteran American, who captured her maiden LPGA title in her 228th career start.
O’Toole, 34, joined the LPGA in 2011 and in her 11th season on the LPGA clinched the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open with a magnificent 8-under 64 to win by three.
“I can’t even describe it,” said O’Toole. “I have obviously been working my whole life for this. I’ve been dreaming about it since I was a kid.”
O’Toole came into the final round tied for the lead at 9 under with former No. 1 and 2018 Scottish Open winner Ariya Jutanugarn and England’s Charley Hull. Atthaya Thitikul, 18, and Lydia Ko put pressure on O’Toole, who never flinched and ultimately pulled away with three birdies on the last six holes and a bogey-free scorecard.
Ko carded a course record-tying 9-under 63 to finish tied for second with Thitikul, who posted a 66 to join her at 14 under. Thitikul, a member of the Ladies European Tour who also finished runner-up on the LPGA earlier this year in Thailand, needed to win to earn her LPGA card.
“So unbelievable to me,” said Thitikul. “I’m not a big fan of links, but I can shoot under par every day.”
O’Toole, a ULCA grad with more than $2 million in career earnings, had never held a share of the lead going into the final round of an LPGA event. She felt nervous about that fact Saturday evening and tried to keep her cell phone time to a minimum.
There was no sweeter call, however, than the FaceTime with her mom after the round when she was drenched in champagne. O’Toole’s fiancé, Gina Marra, happened to be in Scotland to celebrate. The couple plans to wed in December.
How are you celebrating your first win, @RyannOToole? ✌️ pic.twitter.com/OkkBcz2WFJ
— LPGA (@LPGA) August 15, 2021
There were times when O’Toole wondered if she’d ever win on the LPGA. In fact, she’d been wondering lately if 2021 might be her last season on tour. She wants to start a family with Marra, and playing the tour as a mom never had appealed to O’Toole. The idea of stepping away from the LPGA sometime in the future, perhaps at the end of this year even, helped her to let go of the pressure of trying to make something happen. There’s more to life, she decided.
“I’m Ryann in a lot of different ways rather than just Ryann the golfer,” she said.
Even so, walking away without a title would’ve eaten at her.
“I definitely feel like it would have been unfinished business and something I never would have known what the feeling is,” she said. “Now that I’ve had a taste, I feel like that’s going to be a hard one to give up.”
O’Toole hit 13 fairways and 18 greens in her final round. She clicked well with her new caddie, Michael Curry, who stepped in after her previous caddie, Reid Martin, retired last week. O’Toole said Martin informed her of the decision Sunday at the Amundi Evian Championship, saying he’d grown weary of life on the road.
O’Toole liked the looks of the brand new Dumbarnie Links from the start and got a kick out her mom saying it looked like she was playing on the moon. In her first try at links golf in 2012, O’Toole admittedly had her “butt kicked” at Royal Liverpool Golf Club. She has since learned how to maximize her creativity, hit a low tee shot and play the contours of the greens.
Last year O’Toole had to skip the Scottish Open and AIG Women’s British Open after testing positive for COVID-19. One year later, so much has changed.
“I still think I’m in shock,” said O’Toole. “The hours spent, the grind, the heartache that the sport brings, the constant travel. … For this moment, I hope that it only happens again and again.”