Tag: Dundonald Links

‘Pretty crazy’: Lauren Coughlin wins for second time in three weeks at 2024 ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open

Coughlin showed a terrific display of poise and polish after shoogly start.

AYRSHIRE, Scotland — We may as well pinch a lyric from an old Meatloaf song to describe Lauren Coughlin’s fine victory in the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open at Dundonald Links: Two out of three ain’t bad. Let’s hope we don’t have to pay any royalties.

Coughlin joined the LPGA back in 2018 and finally made her breakthrough on the circuit in last month’s Canadian Open. Her silver lining in Scotland means the American has now won twice in her last three starts. Not bad at all, eh?

With a terrific display of poise and polish in the testing Ayrshire conditions, Coughlin recovered from a shoogly start and closed with a 3-under 69 for a 15-under aggregate and eased to a four-shot triumph over Germany’s Ester Henseleit.

“It’s unbelievable,” beamed Coughlin after picking up the first prize of $300,000.

“Two wins in three events is pretty crazy. If you would have told me (she’d have two wins) at the beginning of last year, I wouldn’t believe it. It’s incredible. It just shows how hard I’ve worked to get here.

“I was definitely thinking about (winning) the night before, but in the morning, I was pretty calm about it. I was just trying to stay in the present and tried not to think about winning. It’s really a cliché, but it was one shot at a time. That’s what I was trying to do. It’s amazing.”

With her second win of the season in the bag, Coughlin has done enough to secure her place on the U.S. Solheim Cup team for next month’s transatlantic tussle with Europe in the state of Virginia where she grew up.

“I’ve had big goals for this year with the Solheim Cup and all that,” added Coughlin. “So that’s been on my mind. I knew I needed to improve and that’s what I’ve been trying to do all along.”

On another tough day at Dundonald, Coughlin, who held a slender one-shot lead over Megan Khang after 54 holes, stumbled out of the blocks with two bogeys on her first four holes.

It certainly wasn’t the start she was looking for, but Coughlin is made of stern stuff. A brace of birdies at the fifth and seventh helped to steady the ship and got her ahead of Khang again after her compatriot had nipped in front.

2024 ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open
Lauren Coughlin poses with the trophy after winning the 2024 ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open at Dundonald Links Golf Course in Troon, Scotland. (Paul Devlin/Getty Images)

“I started out a little slow,” said Coughlin of that initial splutter. “But I managed to hang in there and was able to settle nicely.”

Khang’s challenge faded as she failed to make another birdie after the fifth while Japan’s Ayaka Furue, the Women’s Scottish Open champion in 2022, made a gallant push with a 68, which was a noble effort in the wind.

Henseleit, who took the silver medal in the Olympic golf event in Paris the previous weekend, became Coughlin’s biggest threat on the back nine but the American staved off her advances.

With a calm, composed performance, Coughlin picked up three birdies coming home and single-putted her final seven holes. A crucial up-and-down on the 12th underlined the quality of her scrambling when things were tight at the top. The way she preserved her position of authority was mightily impressive.

Coughlin trundled in a putt of 20-feet for a great par at the 16th, mounted another good salvage operation from just off the green at the 17th and holed a 25-footer for birdie at the last to finish with a flourish.

Coughlin now heads to St. Andrews for this week’s AIG Women’s Open with a spring in her step. She could probably float over to the east coast on an updraft of her own confidence. The Dundonald tune-up will stand her in good stead for the ultimate links test in the Auld Grey Toun.

“Obviously, you come over here to get some reps on links and in the wind (ahead of The Open),” she said. “It’s so different to being back in the States. The win is just the cherry on the top.”

Coughlin certainly enjoyed her time in Ayrshire. “Troon is a fun place,” she added of her home for the week. “I was staying in an Airbnb there. It’s awesome.” She’ll be getting the freedom of the town at this rate.

Henseleit, a two-time winner on the Ladies European Tour, signed off with a 70 for 11 under to finish runner-up again after her Olympic silver.

“I had a little go on the back nine, but Lauren played amazing golf,” said Henseleit, who picked up a trio of birdies on her inward half. “Even when she was in trouble, she got out of it really quickly. Her up-and-down on the 16th was pretty special.”

Khang, who closed with a 74, shared third with Furue on 9 under while Charley Hull fell away with a 73 and was fifth on 8 under.

2024 ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open prize money payouts

It took Lauren Coughlin 101 starts to earn her first LPGA win. Three weeks later, she’s a winner again.

It took Lauren Coughlin 101 starts to earn her first win. Just three weeks later, she’s a winner again.

Coughlin closed with a 3-under 69 on Sunday at Dundonald Links in Ayrshire, Scotland, to win the 2024 ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open by a comfortable four shots.

Olympic silver medalist Ester Henseleit of Germany was a runner-up again while Japan’s Ayaka Furue tied for third with Megan Khang of the U.S.

Coughlin earned $300,000 in Scotland after banking $350,000 for her earlier win in Canada.

Here’s the full purse breakdown for the purse at the 2024 ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open.

Pos. Player Score Earnings
1 Lauren Coughlin -15 $300,000
2 Esther Henseleit -11 $167,294
T3 Ayaka Furue -9 $97,588
T3 Megan Khang -9 $97,588
5 Charley Hull -8 $66,918
T6 Gabriela Ruffels -7 $54,835
T6 Jin Young Ko -7 $54,835
8 Sarah Schmelzel -6 $46,471
9 Lydia Ko -5 $44,612
T10 Nuria Iturrioz -3 $41,824
T10 Lisa Pettersson -3 $41,824
T12 Lucy Li -2 $37,176
T12 Georgia Hall -2 $37,176
T12 Minjee Lee -2 $37,176
T15 Nasa Hataoka -1 $32,529
T15 Allisen Corpuz -1 $32,529
T15 Grace Kim -1 $32,529
T18 Jin Hee Im E $30,206
T18 A Lim Kim E $30,206
T20 Savannah Grewal 1 $26,581
T20 Haeji Kang 1 $26,581
T20 Lily May Humphreys 1 $26,581
T20 Caroline Inglis 1 $26,581
T20 Albane Valenzuela 1 $26,581
T25 Lilia Vu 2 $21,005
T25 Celine Boutier 2 $21,005
T25 Rose Zhang 2 $21,005
T25 Cheyenne Knight 2 $21,005
T25 Mary Liu 2 $21,005
T30 Ashleigh Buhai 3 $16,667
T30 Peiyun Chien 3 $16,667
T30 Madelene Sagstrom 3 $16,667
T33 Stephanie Kyriacou 4 $12,361
T33 Hyo Joo Kim 4 $12,361
T33 Nicole Broch Estrup 4 $12,361
T33 Marta Martin 4 $12,361
T33 Ssu-Chia Cheng 4 $12,361
T33 Alexandra Forsterling 4 $12,361
T33 Wei-Ling Hsu 4 $12,361
T33 Cara Gainer 4 $12,361
T41 Marina Alex 5 $9,666
T41 Celine Herbin 5 $9,666
T41 Sei Young Kim 5 $9,666
T41 Ryann O’Toole 5 $9,666
T41 Kirsten Rudgeley 5 $9,666
T46 So Mi Lee 6 $8,829
T46 Johanna Gustavsson 6 $8,829
T48 Morgane Metraux 7 $7,807
T48 Anne-Charlotte Mora 7 $7,807
T48 Jenny Shin 7 $7,807
T48 Ana Pelaez Trivino 7 $7,807
T48 Virginia Elena Carta 7 $7,807
T48 Liz Young 7 $7,807
T48 Minami Katsu 7 $7,807
T48 Anna Nordqvist 7 $7,807
T48 Pauline Roussin-Bouchard 7 $7,807
T57 Linnea Strom 8 $6,599
T57 Laura Fuenfstueck 8 $6,599
T57 Mao Saigo 8 $6,599
T57 Nicole Garcia 8 $6,599
T61 Leona Maguire 9 $5,948
T61 Brooke M. Henderson 9 $5,948
T61 Yealimi Noh 9 $5,948
64 Ariya Jutanugarn 10 $5,576
T65 Hye-Jin Choi 12 $5,112
T65 Olivia Cowan 12 $5,112
67 Shannon Tan 14 $4,833
68 Nastasia Nadaud 15 $4,461
69 Lee-Anne Pace 18 $4,275

 

Minjee Lee, Megan Khang keeping their eyes on the prize through tough ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open conditions

“It’s kind of crazy. I’m aiming 30, 40 yards right of the pin.”

They needed to play catch-up at Dundonald Links on Thursday. In fact, the organizers just about required a couple of snookers to get the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open back on track after Thursday’s meteorological muddle, when heavy rains soaked the course.

We’re getting there, though. As for Minjee Lee and Megan Khang? Well, it’s a case of catch us if you can. Lee, the 28-year-old Australian, pinched the first-round lead on Thursday in the near darkness. On Friday, she was home and dry at a more civilized hour.

A three-under 69, which included a finishing flourish of two birdies at 17 and 18, cemented her position at the top of the order. 

She was joined at the summit later in the evening by Khang, who picked up a birdie on her closing hole en route to a four-under 68.

Lee, whose brother Min Woo won the men’s Scottish Open back in 2021, has dropped only one shot in 36 holes. In the robust conditions this week, that’s a fine effort.

Last year, Lee began her Dundonald campaign with a potentially ruinous 80 but then reeled off three rounds in the 60s during the kind of mighty salvage operation that raised the Mary Rose. The two-time major winner is now 22-under for her last five rounds in this neck of the woods.

More of the same will do over the weekend. “Obviously, I would love to win,” said Lee, who was pipped to the Scottish title by a shot when it was played at Gullane in 2018.

“I’m just going to do what I can control. I can’t control what other people are doing. I’ll just try my very best. If that happens to be a win, then great.”

Khang packed six birdies into her round as the American Solheim Cup player fortified her position on the leaderboard.

With the wind whipping over the links, Khang certainly enjoyed the challenge. “It’s not often I’m hitting a 7-iron to a 116-yard pin,” she said of this very different style of golf.

“It’s kind of crazy. I’m aiming 30, 40 yards right of the pin and to be able to pull off a shot, it’s a huge confidence boost. You just laugh, like wow, I can’t believe that actually worked sometimes. And so just having a mindset, all right, let’s really trust it and have some fun. Sometimes it can work out and sometimes it doesn’t. I’m trying to tell myself that if I can at least do everything I can to hit the shot I picture, I really can’t be too upset.”

Meanwhile, England’s Charley Hull is right in the thick of it heading into the weekend after following up her opening 70 with a 68 to lurk just two shots off the pace on six-under.

Starting on the 10th, Hull enjoyed a lively little burst around the turn and birdied the 17th and eagled the 18th after her approach trundled to within 15 feet of the pin. Two more birdies at the first and third bolstered her assault.

Hull warmed up for this week’s domestic showpiece down the road at Turnberry. She even declared that The Open and some of the big women’s events should head back to the storied Ailsa links.

Of course, with Donald Trump’s name on the entry gates, there’s more chance of The Open being staged on the outer rings of Saturn. 

Hull’s Turnberry tune-up has certainly stood her in good stead, though.

With the AIG Women’s Open coming up next week at the Old Course, Hull is getting into the links swing again.

“I love links golf but I find it hard to play in,” said Hull, who is looking to capture a third LPGA Tour title. “I feel like my game is more built for America. 

“But over the last few weeks, my coach and I have been working on doing more three-quarter swings so I can do a low-ball flight for the (Women’s) Open. It is actually paying off.”

Lydia Ko, the newly crowned Olympic champion, harnessed the conditions to fine effect as she joined Hull and American, Lauren Coughlin, on the six-under mark after a 69.

“I can’t remember the last time I’ve had to hit a 3-wood on a par 3,” smiled Ko of the club she had to clatter into the wind on the fourth. 

“I hit a 5-iron yesterday and today I hit a 3-wood and it landed just pin-high. The number goes out of the window in the wind.”

It wasn’t a good day for the home hopefuls. Only three were in the field and they’re all out now. Gemma Dryburgh, who was desperate for a good week to boost her Solheim Cup ambitions, missed the cut on seven-over after a 75.

Her fellow Aberdonian, Laura Beveridge, also departed on 13-over after a turbulent 83 while Glasgow’s Kylie Henry joined the casualty list on 11-over although she at least shaved 11 shots off her first-round 83 with a spirited 72 in round two. There’s always a bit of pride to play for.

2023 Women’s Scottish Open prize money payouts for each LPGA player

Celine Boutier is the third LPGA golfer to surpass the $2 million mark in 2023.

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One week after banking $1 million for her first major, Celine Boutier cashed another big check after winning the 2023 Women’s Scottish Open.

Boutier won at Dundonald Links in Ayshire, Scotland, by two shots over Hyu Joo Kim and by three over Ruoning Yin.

It’s Boutier’s fifth LPGA victory and second in two weeks after she claimed the 2023 Amundi Evian Championship in France. She’s the first LPGA golfer in seven years to win a major and then win the next week’s event. She’s the first on the LPGA to win consecutive tournaments in two years. And she’s the first to win three times in 2023, after having also won the LPGA Drive On Championship in Arizona in March.

Her $300,000 payday in Scotland pushes her past the $2 million mark for the 2023 season.

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Position Player Score Money
1 Celine Boutier -15 $300,000
2 Hyo Joo Kim -13 $167,294
3 Ruoning Yin -12 $111,529
T4 A Lim Kim -11 $75,282
T4 Maja Stark -11 $75,282
T6 Caroline Hedwall -10 $52,047
T6 Nicole Broch Estrup -10 $52,047
T6 Patty Tavatanakit -10 $52,047
T9 Ally Ewing -9 $41,824
T9 Andrea Lee -9 $41,824
T9 Sarah Kemp -9 $41,824
T9 Madelene Sagstrom -9 $41,824
T13 Minjee Lee -8 $35,318
T13 Stephanie Kyriacou -8 $35,318
T13 Arpichaya Yubol -8 $35,318
T16 Jenny Shin -7 $31,135
T16 Jennifer Kupcho -7 $31,135
T16 Xiyu Lin -7 $31,135
T16 Hinako Shibuno -7 $31,135
T20 Esther Henseleit -6 $27,185
T20 Linn Grant -6 $27,185
T20 Yu Liu -6 $27,185
T20 Yuna Nishimura -6 $27,185
T24 Sarah Schmelzel -4 $22,771
T24 Linnea Strom -4 $22,771
T24 Nasa Hataoka -4 $22,771
T24 Mi Hyang Lee -4 $22,771
T28 Megan Khang -3 $17,324
T28 Angel Yin -3 $17,324
T28 Minami Katsu -3 $17,324
T28 Jeongeun Lee6 -3 $17,324
T28 Eleanor Givens -3 $17,324
T33 Celine Herbin -2 $14,127
T33 Eun-Hee Ji -2 $14,127
T35 Charley Hull -1 $10,575
T35 Ana Pelaez Trivino -1 $10,575
T35 Lee-Anne Pace -1 $10,575
T35 Gaby Lopez -1 $10,575
T35 Maddie Szeryk -1 $10,575
T35 Frida Kinhult -1 $10,575
T35 Cara Gainer -1 $10,575
T35 In Gee Chun -1 $10,575
T35 Lilia Vu -1 $10,575
T44 Soo Bin Joo E $8,736
T44 Gemma Dryburgh E $8,736
T44 Narin An E $8,736
T47 Perrine Delacour +1 $7,714
T47 Casandra Alexander +1 $7,714
T47 Kim Metraux +1 $7,714
T47 Elin Arvidsson +1 $7,714
T47 Annie Park +1 $7,714
T47 Ayaka Furue +1 $7,714
T47 Agathe Sauzon +1 $7,714
T47 Amanda Doherty +1 $7,714
T55 Jasmine Suwannapura +3 $6,413
T55 Aditi Ashok +3 $6,413
T55 Emily Kristine Pedersen +3 $6,413
T55 Lydia Hall +3 $6,413
T55 Paula Reto +3 $6,413
T55 Lauren Coughlin +3 $6,413
T61 Pernilla Lindberg +4 $5,669
T61 Louise Duncan +4 $5,669
T63 Caroline Inglis +5 $5,298
T63 Mel Reid +5 $5,298
T63 Ginnie Ding (a) +5 $0
T66 Marissa Steen +6 $4,647
T66 Alice Hewson +6 $4,647
T66 Bronte Law +6 $4,647
T66 Bailey Tardy +6 $4,647
T66 Alison Lee +6 $4,647
71 Leonie Harm +8 $4,089
T72 Magdalena Simmermacher +12 $3,811
T72 Emma Grechi +12 $3,811
74 Klara Davidson Spilkova +16 $3,532

 

Fresh off major win, Celine Boutier in front at Women’s Scottish Open

Celine Boutier is on fire.

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AYRSHIRE, Scotland — Celine Boutier is riding such a wave of confidence these days, you half expected her to march up the 18th at Dundonald Links whistling a jolly tune of surfing satisfaction by the Beach Boys.

A week on from her maiden major victory in the Evian Championship, the Frenchwoman is on course for a notable double whammy of triumphs as she forged a sturdy advantage on the penultimate day of the Freed Group Women’s Scottish Open.

A composed, classy and clinical performance led to a 6-under 66, a 13-under total and a three-stroke lead over Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit and Maja Stark of Sweden.

Seven days ago on the shores of Lake Geneva, Boutier led by three after 54-holes and went on to win by six. Here on the Firth of Clyde, her latest three-stroke lead could prompt another procession to a coronation.

There is a lot of golf to be played, of course, but in this particular parish, Boutier, last year’s runner-up, is in her element. This was her seventh consecutive round in the 60s at Dundonald.  Her position of authority at the summit is so fortified, her name on the leaderboard could be shielded by a portcullis.

The home of golf certainly brings out the best in Boutier. Four years ago at Gleneagles, she won four out of four during a thrilling Solheim Cup debut to help Europe claim a famous victory. Here in 2023, individual glory beckons in the game’s cradle.

It was one of those days when all the golfing cogs and pistons were working and finely tuned. “Sometimes you envision shots and they don’t always happen,” said Boutier. “But today, it happened the way I saw it.”

When she did make the odd deviation from the straight and narrow, Boutier took the positives from it. “I made a bogey on the ninth, which actually fired me up,” she added. “It was nice to get some more energy going.”

Boutier had been five shots off the halfway pace set by Japan’s Hinako Shibuno but she chomped into that deficit with gusto. Four birdies on her first seven holes had her bounding along nicely as Shibuno stumbled and stuttered. Stark, the 23-year-old who was leading the chasing pack after 36-holes, would take up the front-running and did briefly move into a two-shot lead before her round unravelled on the run-in.

Shibuno, a wonderful Women’s British Open champion at Woburn back in 2019, endured a trying day, meanwhile, and a double-bogey on the short 15th prompted a pained grimace from the woman known as the Smiling Cinderella. It would get worse for the 24-year-old. A bogey on 17 was followed by a trip into the water on the last and another leaked shot in a 77 left her six shots off the lead.

Those late lapses were pounced on by Boutier, whose poise and purpose was rewarded with a brace of birdies at 17 and 18 as she conjured a telling late thrust. Stark also found the wet stuff on the 18th and dropped a costly shot in a level-par 72.

Stark may have been left scunnered by that sore one, but the six-time Ladies European Tour winner remained determined to make amends on the final day. “I want revenge,” she hissed through clenched teeth as she plotted a closing offensive. “I think it’s just a ‘screw it’ mentality now because it’s the final day and you know where you’re standing. It’s all about getting the win.”

Boutier, meanwhile, will be hoping to stay in the winning habit, but she will also stay in the moment. “I definitely have to keep my expectations in check and not get too far ahead of myself,” she said.

Tavatanakit, a major champion in 2021, is not out of it and she energised her title tilt with a charging 66 that was illuminated by eagles on the third and 14th.

On the home front, Gemma Dryburgh, the Scottish No 1, moved up a couple of gears with a four-under 68 which hoisted her up into the leading 30 on two-under. Four birdies in five holes from the third was an enjoyable flurry for the LPGA winner. “I got on a pretty hot run there and that was fun,” she said after a decent stride up the order.

Hinako Shibuno still smiling as she leads Women’s Scottish Open

The 24-year-old from Japan famously earned the nickname “the Smiling Cinderella.”

Golfers can often display the kind of inscrutable countenance that would make the fizzog of the Sphinx of Giza look positively animated.

Not so, Hinako Shibuno. With a constant, glowing beam you tend to get with a LED bulb, the 24-year-old from Japan famously earned the nickname “the Smiling Cinderella” during her giggling, grinning march to glory in the AIG Women’s Open at Woburn in 2019.

Here at the Freed Group Women’s Scottish Open at Dundonald Links, Shibuno was still smiling. She had every reason to be, of course. A delightfully assembled 8-under 64 on a largely bright and increasingly breezy Ayrshire day thrust her into a two-shot lead over Madelene Sagstrom. Local tour rookie Louise Duncan, meanwhile, was the pick of the Scots on one-under after a spirited late rally.

Shibuno’s smile may remain but it seems the twinkling moniker has gone. “Nobody calls me the Smiling Cinderella anymore,” said Shibuno with something of a wistful, well, smile.

Presumably, the fickle fans in Japan, who tend to shower successful female golfers with the adulation you would get during a ticker-tape parade, have focussed their affections on someone else. Shibuno has not won since that wonder of Woburn while a niggling finger injury has hindered her progress. Living with the expectation that comes with being a major champion in her golf-mad homeland adds another layer of professional pressure.

The Smiling Cinderella may be no more but there is a new nickname. “Lydia Ko called me the Assassin once which I like better than Smiling Cinderella,” added Shibuno. She certainly had her sights fixed on Dundonald yesterday.

Before the wind started to really get going, Shibuno made hay while the sun keeked through some light clouds. Starting on the 10th, Shibuno made an early statement of intent with a birdie on her first hole then bolstered her assault with four birdies on the spin from the 13th. “I surprised myself with four in a row,” she said of that profitable push. Shibuno then finished with a flourish, picking up birdies at three of her last four holes to streak away from the field.

Shibuno missed the halfway cut in last year’s championship here. “The course looked different this time, a little wider,” she noted. It’s amazing what eight birdies can do to the outlook eh?

The sprightly standard Shibuno set was going to be a hard act to follow. Sagstrom gave it a good go and the Swedish Solheim Cup player got herself motoring with three birdies in a row from her 10th tee start. It was an impressive round of poise and patience for a 30-year-old who has taken time to figure out the quirks, curiosities and occasional absurdities of the links game. The fact she has finished fourth and second in the last two AIG Women’s Opens at Muirfield and Carnoustie shows that she is finally getting to grips with it.

“As an amateur, I hated coming to Scotland,” she said of her initial relationship with golf by the seaside. “But my caddie is Irish and over the last couple of years we’ve been really working on it. I’m much more creative on the course and he has helped me see different shots. It’s a journey.”

On the home front, meanwhile, Duncan harnessed the growing gusts to fine effect and was justifiably chipper with her battling 71. The 23-year-old from West Kilbride, who made her professional debut in this event last summer, made an early stumble with a bogey on the first but she remained resolute. “A year ago, I may have squirmed at that, but I managed to hold it together,” said the former Women’s Amateur champion.

Duncan’s finish underlined her sense of purpose. She cracked a 3-iron into 10 feet on the 15th to set up a birdie and, despite a bogey on 16, a brace of sturdy birdies to finish at 17 and 18 stirred the local galleries and a strong contingent of watching family members.

“It wasn’t easy out there, the greens were faster than the practice days and the wind was brutal,” added Duncan of the exacting nature of the test.

Gemma Dryburgh, the Scottish No 1, ignited her day by holing a greenside bunker shot for birdie on the 15th to dip under par. A couple of loose drives at 17 and 18, though, brought her back down to earth and the 30-year-old had to settle for a one-over 73 after a bogey, bogey finish.

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Video: Dundonald Links offers modern twists in classic Scottish golf country

Recent renovations have Dundonald Links in prime condition to host the 2023 Women’s Scottish Open.

As Scottish golf is booming with international travelers flocking to the well-known historical links courses — consider booking extremely early for any trip, as in get your plans in order now for 2024 — it’s worth noting there are several modern courses around the game’s home country that are more than worthy of a round.

Count Dundonald Links in Gailes, on the western side of Scotland, among them.

Designed by Kyle Phillips and opened in 2003, Dundonald Links ranks No. 35 on Golfweek’s Best list of best modern courses in Great Britain and Ireland. It hosted the Women’s Scottish Open in 2015, 2016 and 2017, and it will again be the site of the co-sanctioned LPGA/Ladies European Tour event this August. It also was site of the DP World Tour’s Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open in 2017.

The club – which serves as a handy base for golf excursions to other courses such as Royal Troon, Prestwick and Western Gailes – has recently undergone major renovations to its clubhouse and accommodations.

Golfweek videographer Gabe Gudgel was there recently to take it all in. Check out his accompanying video to see how modern golf looks in a classic land.

Ayaka Furue fires course-record 62, captures first LPGA victory at Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open

Furue fires a 10-under 62 to set a new course record at Dundonald Links.

Sunday’s final round at the 2022 Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open is one LPGA rookie Ayaka Furue won’t soon forget.

Furue torched Dundonald Links on Sunday in Ayrshire, Scotland, firing a course record and tournament record of 10-under 62 to overcome a four-stroke deficit and capture her first LPGA victory. Japan’s newest LPGA winner finished at 21 under, three shots better than Celine Boutier, who was tied for the 54-hole lead with Lydia Ko.

“My all-around game was really good,” Furue said. “The putts I needed to make, I made. My putting was really good.”

The stats back that up. She hit 17 of 18 greens and 13 of 14 fairways. She putted 26 times, recording 10 birdies and no bogeys en route to her course record. Furue made six straight birdies from Nos. 6-11. She shot 5-under 31 on each side. And she did it without lighting up the par 5s, as she birdied only one of the four three-shotters, the finishing hole.

Women's Scottish Open
Ayaka Furue of Japan plays her tee shot at the 18th hole in the final round of the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open at Dundonald Links  on July 31, 2022 in Troon, Scotland. (Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

Furue, 22, began the final round four shots behind the leaders but quickly made up that ground. She birdied the par-4 first before recording four straight pars. Then the birdie streak started, and more followed on Nos. 15, 17 and 18 to finish at 21 under.

By the time the final group came to the 18th tee, Furue had locked up the victory.

Boutier shot 3-under 69 in the final round, which included seven birdies. Ko, who led after 36 holes, shot her second straight 1-under 71 after back-to-back rounds of 65 to open the tournament. Ko finished five shots behind Furue in a tie for fifth place.

Hyo-Joo Kim and Cheyenne Knight finished tied for third at 17 under, four shots behind Furue.

The win could be pivotal for Furue heading into the final women’s major championship of the season next week, the AIG Women’s British Open at Muirfield.

“It builds up a lot of confidence,” Furue said. “I look forward to more tournaments and next week.”

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Celine Boutier, Lydia Ko tied at Women’s Scottish Open heading to final round

There are 12 players within four shots of the lead.

If the leaderboard following the third round is any indication, the 2022 Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open at Dundonald Links in Ayrshire, Scotland, is in for a thrilling finish come Sunday.

Twelve players are within four shots of the lead, but Celine Boutier and Lydia Ko pace the field at 15 under following 54 holes in the week before the final women’s major championship of the season.

Ko, who fired consecutive rounds of 65 to open the tournament, shot a 1-under 71 on Saturday, and her highlight of the day came on the 18th. Her approach shot landed just past the hole before spinning back and nearly dropping for eagle. The ball settled a couple feet from the hole, and she tapped in the birdie to close her round on a high note. After not recording a bogey through the first two rounds, Ko made three on Saturday to her four birdies.

“I drove it a little better than I did the past couple of days, but my irons just weren’t as sharp,” Ko said. “It wasn’t the best golf I’ve played, but I was able to scramble around and it wasn’t as bad as I think.”

Boutier, however, was spectacular. She went out in 5-under 31, including three straight birdies on Nos. 5, 6 and 7. Boutier also birdied the third and ninth holes. On the back nine, she had one birdie and one bogey, but it was good enough to vault her into a tie for first heading to Sunday.

“It was a very solid day,” Boutier said. “The conditions were a bit more windy and a bit tougher, so it was really good to get a good start.”

Boutier has had plenty of success on links courses before. During the 2019 Solheim Cup, she went 4-0-0 for Team Europe in her first appearance, helping the Europeans win by a point.

“I really like playing in windy conditions,” said Boutier. “I feel like my ball flight is pretty low, so I never have trouble keeping it down, which is an advantage here.”

Maude-Aimee Leblanc, who tied for low round of the day at 6-under 66, is one of two players one shot back in a tie for third. Leblanc also went out in 5-under 31 and birdied both of the par 5s on the back nine to vault up the leaderboard. Leonie Harm shot 5-under 67 and moved to 14 under for the tournament, tied with Leblanc.

Harm, 24, is searching for her first career victory. The German, who turned pro in 2020, has shot rounds of 67-68-67 this week.

“I really enjoyed today’s round,” Harm said. “It got a bit windier, so it actually was a lot more difficult than the previous two rounds. And I’m very, very proud of myself that I still got a low scorecard to sign off.”

Eun-Hee Ji and Lilia Vu are tied at 13 under in a tie for fifth. The duo played with Ko in the final pairing, shooting 2 under and 1 under, respectively.

Ko is searching for her first victory since March while Boutier hasn’t won since October of 2021.

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A dream day at the Old Course for Georgia Hall included a putting tip from Rory McIlroy that’s paying off

On the eve of the Trust Golf Scottish Open, Hall talked about a conversation she had with McIlroy during that four-hole loop.

Georgia Hall dreamed of one day playing with Tiger Woods. She lived it out at the R&A’s Celebration of Champions over the Old Course earlier this month, joined by Rory McIlroy and Lee Trevino.

“I’m definitely going to get that picture framed sooner rather than later for sure,” said Hall of their epic group photo with Jack Nicklaus taken at the Swilcan Bridge, “and definitely one of the best moments of my career.”

On the eve of the Trust Golf Scottish Open, Hall talked about a conversation she had with McIlroy during that four-hole loop that led to a change in her putting. Both have gone to Brad Faxon for putting lessons and similarly struggle with left-to-right putts.

“I started using a line on the golf ball last week for the first time in a couple of years,” said Hall, “because we briefly spoke about that, and I putted probably the best I have this year. So I’m going to continue to do that. It’s just nice to get some inside information as well and speak to someone who has done it all.”

Hall, who tied for eighth last week at the Amundi Evian, also spent a good deal of time focusing on Woods’ putting while playing alongside him.

Hall, 26, called Dundonald Links her favorite venue for the Scottish Open and links her favorite style of golf. The 2018 AIG Women’s British Open champion said she appreciated the fact that McIlroy shows an interest in the LPGA.

“He says that he watches women’s golf and how kind of U.K. players are doing,” said Hall, “and it’s really nice just to meet someone really genuine and interested in our part of the game as well.”

Hall won earlier this year on the LET at the Aramco Saudi Ladies International. Her top-10 finish at the Evian was the first of the year on the LPGA.

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