Aditi Ashok finishes career-best third with Thai partner in Great Lakes

Midland: India's Aditi Ashok and Thailand's Pajaree Anannarukarn missed out on their maiden LPGA success but won a lot of praise after finishing Tied-3rd at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational here.

After three bogey-free rounds, the Indo-Thai duo called Spice Girls for the week, added a four-under 66 in better ball, which saw both bogey the final hole of the week.

Yet their 19-under total fetched them a career-best third place finish behind, Thai sisters Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn (24-under), who had a second 59 in the week, and the defending champion Cydney Clanton and Jasmine Suwannapura (21-under).

Aditi and Pajaree were Tied-3rd with A Lim Kim and Yealimi Noh at 19-under.

Aditi and Pajaree, starting the final day in shared lead with Clanton and Suwannapura, did get off to a good birdie-birdie start but were then unable to find any more till the 12th. The duo, however, managed to keep bogeys off their cards.

When Aditi bogeyed sixth, the first by either player, Pajaree parred to ensure a par team score and the same happened when Pajaree bogeyed ninth as Aditi parred.

Then Aditi bogeyed again on 12th and once more Pajaree saved them with a par.

Though the Jutanugarns surged ahead to 24-under, the Indo-Thai pair seemed aggressive on 18th in an attempt to get to Tied-second with Clanton and Suwannpura, who had finished at 21-under.

However, both Aditi and Pajaree both bogeyed the 18th and the team score dropped from 20-under to 19-under for a Tied-third.

Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn, who had a 59 in their second round, repeated it on the final day for a comfortable three-stroke victory over Clanton and Suwannapura.

The 25-year-old Ariya won for the 12th time on the LPGA Tour and second this season, and the 26-year-old Moriya took her second title. Ariya won the Honda LPGA Thailand in May for her first victory since July 2018.

U.S. Women's Open winner Yuka Saso and Minjee Lee were 18 under after a 62.