FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, August 3rd, 2019
NOTABLE QUOTES: AIG WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN, SATURDAY’S 3RD ROUND
NBC Sports Notable Quotes
AIG Women’s British Open
Third Round
Woburn Golf Club
Woburn, England
Saturday, Aug. 3, 2019
**Live final round coverage of the AIG Women’s British Open airs Sunday on GOLF Channel from 7-11:30 a.m. ET, continuing on NBC from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. ET.
** Third-Round leader Hinako Shibuno is playing her first tournament outside of her native Japan. A 20-year old rookie on the JLPGA Tour, Shibuno has a nickname of “Smiling Cinderella” back in Japan, and has a unique golf swing utilizing her double-jointed arms.
AIG Women’s British Open Third Round Leaderboard
Hinako Shibuno -14
Ashleigh Buhai -12
Sung Hyun Park -11
Jin Young Ko -10
Lizette Salas -10
Morgan Pressel -10
Carlota Ciganda -9
Charley Hull -9
Bronte Law -9
On Hinako Shibuno, leader at 14-under par (5-under 67 on Saturday)
Tom Abbott – “She is out in front. A player who has never played a major championship. She has never even played golf outside of Japan prior to this week. Now, she is leading at Woburn.”
Judy Rankin – “You have to admire someone this young who can handle all of this with such grace. Cinderella is one of the great fairy tales of all time. This is kind of a fairy tale story. She is just such a talent.”
Terry Gannon – “I have a little experience with a Cinderella story. This would be one of those to remember. You are not supposed to be in this position at all and you are un-phased.”
Gannon – “They call her the “Smiling Cinderella” back in Japan. To state the obvious, it would be a Cinderella story if she kept smiling the next two days and has a chance to win this in her first try at a major.”
Rankin – “Incredible performance. She has made this a spectacular event for herself rather than one to stress and worry.”
Jerry Foltz – “At this age she doesn’t have an idea how good she can be. There isn’t a benchmark for her right now. It is really exciting to see a player with no real expectations play so incredibly well.”
Gannon – “Play golf. Have fun. Smile.”
On Ashleigh Buhai, 2nd at 12-under par (even par 72 on Saturday)
Rankin – “It is going to be a very hard day for Ashleigh tomorrow. She might change the course of her career and handle it well but regardless it is going to be hard.”
Foltz – “She has shown a lot of discipline today.”
On Sung Hyun Park, 3rd at 11-under par (4-under 68 on Saturday)
Abbott – “She is going to be a tough player to beat tomorrow if she gets her putter working.”
Gannon – “One to contend with and difficult to beat tomorrow.”
On Morgan Pressel, T4 at 10-under par (6-under 66 on Saturday)
Rankin – “She has been such a great match player for the Solheim Cup teams that she has been on. She has to be in the mix at this point. She is playing her best golf in three or four years.”
On Jin Young Ko, T4 at 10-under par (4-under 68 on Saturday)
Rankin – “Seems to me that this is playing a little bit the same way it did a week ago.”
On Charley Hull, T7 at 9-under par (2-under 70 on Saturday)
Rankin – “She is so much fun to watch because she is such a fighter. You will never see Charley Hull not trying.”
On Carlota Ciganda, T7 at 9-under par (3-under 69 on Saturday)
Karen Stupples – “She is a player that is explosive and can make a lot of birdies. There still is one more round to go, and that I think is what she needs to tell herself.”
Rankin – “She has a habit of making that one bad decision or one bad shot that is putting her out of the mix. She has got to evaluate how she approaches certain shots because she is explosive and she is going to have a time or two where she hits a tee shot in trouble.”
-NBC Sports Group-
