Awe-struck Jun backs Matthew to sparkle at Solheim Cup
The Californian played with Matthew, one of the players already assured of their place in the European team for the biennial clash at Killeen Castle, as she signed off with a six-under-par 66 to claim the £29,000 first prize at Archerfield Links in East Lothian by a resounding ten shots and was hugely impressed as the North Berwick-based player chalked up the eighth win of her professional career.
“It was great to watch a lot of great golf from her – I loved it,” said Jun, who had led Matthew by four shots after the opening round but was then left in her wake as the 2009 British Women’s Open champion followed a course-record 65 in the second round with another imperious performance on the closing day.
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Hide Ad“Either she’s playing really well just now or she is just great at everything – honestly, there is no weakness in her game that I saw. I don’t know who she might come up against in the Solheim Cup but whoever it is they are in for a great fight against Catriona.”
Four ahead going into the final round, Matthew, an honorary member of the host club, stormed to the turn in five-under 31 and, after eight straight pars coming home, she signed off in style by rolling in a 15-foot birdie putt on the last for her seventh birdie of the day on the Fidra Links and a 15-under-par total of 201.
“I didn’t really get a chance to judge her temperament because she was never in any trouble out there, but she is very, very cool, “ added Jun, who matched the Scot’s closing birdie to pip Frenchwoman Caroline Alfonso for second place by a single shot. “Obviously this is her home course, but I was very impressed by the number of times she gave herself birdie opportunities. She put herself exactly where you wanted to be on almost every hole and there is nothing better than that.”
If Matthew’s remarkable achievements in the women’s game since he joined the paid ranks 16 years ago may often have underestimated on this side of the Atlantic, Jun’s reaction to being asked if she had been aware of the Scot long before they crossed swords on the East Lothian coast spoke volumes for her global standing.
“Absolutely,” said the American. “Anyone who knows anything about women’s golf knows the name. If you are unaware of her name and who she is, then there is something wrong. She has, of course, won a major recently, but I knew about her before that triumph.”
After marking her win with a family dinner on Saturday night – that was also an early celebration of her 42nd birthday this week – Matthew headed across the Atlantic yesterday to prepare for this week’s Canadian Open. She then has two more events back-to-back on the LPGA Tour before joining up with the rest of the European team just outside Dublin as they bid for a first win over the Americans in the Solheim Cup in nearly a decade.
“Winning at home and winning by such a big margin is great – my previous wins have been much closer than that,” said Matthew as she savoured a first success on Scottish soil since she claimed the McDonald’s WPGA Championship at Gleneagles in 1998. “I hit the ball really well today, when it was a bit more challenging because of the wind. I was pleased with the way I played. I putted really well this week and that’s usually the key to any victory.”
It was also a good event for Kylie Walker, the 24-year-old Carrick on Loch Lomond player closing with a 69 to finish in a tie for fifth – her best performance since joining the Ladies European Tour at the beginning of last year. With Mhairi McKay tying for ninth and both Vikki Laing (16th) and Carly Booth (19th), it added up to an encouraging event for the home contingent, with pride of place, not for the first time in her career, going to Matthew.