Women’s Scottish Open: Ryann O’Toole’s win prolongs career as she staves off chasing pack to seal gold
It’s taken a while – 228 events to be precise – but Ryann O’Toole finally won an LPGA Tour title with a commanding victory in the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open at Dumbarnie Links.
In her 11th year on the circuit, O’Toole got over the winning line with a terrific display of front-running golf as she staved off the menacing advances of a chasing pack with a closing eight-under 64.
That gave the Californian a 17-under total and a three shot victory over Thai teenager Atthaya Thitikul and the rampaging Lydia Ko, who came roaring into the reckoning with a course-record 63.
The champagne had been on ice for so long as far as O’Toole was concerned, the bottle was almost fossilised. When she was doused with the sparkling stuff on the 18th green, it was a soaking to savour. “Hopefully more goes in my belly than on me,” the 34-year-old said as she anticipated a night of joyous glass-clinking.
This breakthrough success may just have prolonged her career as a touring golfer too. “You get to a point in your life when you’re sitting going, ‘Okay, I’m getting married in December, I want to have kids, how much longer am I going to be out here?’ I thought maybe this year would be my last year. But I don’t know if I could stop playing golf now.”
O’Toole admitted she got her “butt kicked” the first time she played links golf in the Women’s Open at Hoylake in 2012 but she put in a virtuoso performance over four days in Fife to find redemption.
Sharing the lead overnight, O’Toole made her intentions clear as she picked up three birdies over her first five holes.
She was still tied for the lead with Thitikul at the turn but as her Thai rival stumbled on the back-nine, O’Toole fortified her position of authority with a trio of birdies coming home to march to victory.
As O’Toole celebrated, Nairn’s Kelsey MacDonald also had plenty to be pleased about as she finished as the leading Scot in a share of 15th on seven-under after a closing 70. That also earned her a debut in this week’s AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie. “It’s all about getting to that next level and hopefully a win is just around the corner,” she said.
As O’Toole proved, you never know what this game has in store.
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