Ricoh Women's British Open Sunday: Down to the Wire...

The final round of the Ricoh Women's British Open is underway and early scoring is not pretty.

• Ariya Jutanugarn took a 9 on the 1st hole, Harukyo Nomura suffered a 5-6-7 start, Brittany Lang opened with a double and 3 bogeys in her next 4 holes and Jeong Jang and Kristy McPherson started with 3-hole bogey trains.  So far, with half the field underway, Thidapa Suwannapura has the lone birdie on #1.
• I wouldn't put too much stock in the 1st completed rounds; most players would just want them over as quickly as possible.  So Becky Brewerton's 85, Hee Young Park's 79, Hannah Jun's 77, Ji Young Oh's 76, Lexi Thompson's 75, and Valentine Derrey's 74 are not necessarily bellwethers.  And yet, usually you play quicker when you take fewer strokes and these are professionals playing for money in still-benign conditions, so you'd think they're not that much worse than average for the day.  We'll see.
• Alena Sharp and Ayaka Watanabe have been the only 2 players so far to shoot even-par 35s on the front.  Nobody has been under par for the entire 9, although amateur Emma Talley is -1 through 8.

More not-quite-live-blogging all morning!

[Update 1 (6:20 am):  Anna Nordqvist opened bogey-double, but has been -1 since.  Nomura is -2 over her last 13 holes and bogey-free since her awful start.  So there are some scoring opportunities out there in the middle of the round.  As usual, the par-5 6th is giving up a fair number of birdies.]

[Update 2 (6:24 am):  Talley parred 9 for the 1st 34 of the day.  Chella Choi made a rare par on 1 but followed it up with a triple on 2.  Ilhee Lee came in with a 79 and Austin Ernst with a 78.]

[Update 3 (6:25 am):  Mika Miyazato is E through 6, making her -4 over her last 40 holes.]

[Update 4 (6:28 am):  Alena Sharp already has 2 birdies on the back, but also a bogey and a double, so she needs a birdie on 18 for the 1st even-par round of the day.]

[Update 5 (6:30 am):  27-hole leader Ayako Uehara is +4 through her 1st 5 holes today, bringing her to +7 for the week.]

[Update 6 (6:32 am):  Suwannapura is +6 over her last 9 holes.  She hasn't been able to follow up on her opening birdie as of yet.]

[Update 7 (6:33 am):  Sharp doubled 18 for a 75.  Still waiting for that 1st E round of the day.  Ayaka Watanabe is +1 with 3 holes to go.]

[Update 8 (6:38 am):  Par Watch continues.  Mikan bogeyed 7 to drop to +1.  Talley bogeyed 10 to fall to E.  Lee-Anne Pace is E through 8.]

[Update 9 (6:41 am):  Disaster Watch continues.  Beth Allen shot an 85, Vikki Laing an 80, Christina Kim a 77.]

[Update 10 (6:42 am):  Paula Creamer is E through 5.  Rikako Morita started bogey-birdie.]

[Update 11 (6:50 am):  Man, Pace bogeyed 9 for a 36.  Thought she'd have the 3rd 35 of the day on the front!]

[Update 12 (6:52 am):  Creamer has 2 birdies in a row and is -1 through 6.  Only 7th player of the day to make back-to-back birdies thus far!]

[Update 13 (6:53 am):  2 of her predecessors did it on 6 and 7, so maybe Creamer can be the 1st to make it 3 in a row!]

[Update 14 (6:55 am):  Nomura hung in there for a 76 after going +6 over her 1st 3 holes. Jee Young Lee shot a birdieless 79.]

[Update 15 (6:57 am):  Mikan doubles 8 to go to +3 on her day.  Xiyu Lin took an 8 on that hole and there have been plenty of doubles there already.]

[Update 16 (6:59 am):  Talley bogeyed 11, too.  Now +1 on her day.  Only 3 shots up on Georgia Hall for low amateur.  Hall has 2 birdies in a row with only the 18th left to play.]

[Update 17 (7:02 am):  Giulia Sergas has birdied 10 and 11 to fight back to +1 on her day.  Pace has bogeyed 9 and 10 to drop to +2.  Nordqvist now only +1 through 10 after +3 start on 1st 2 holes.  Creamer still only player under par thus far in her final round.]

[Update 18 (7:05 am):  I picked Lydia Ko to win this week.  She's bogeyed her 1st 3 holes in a row to fall to +4.]

[Update 19 (7:07 am):  So Yeon Ryu pars 1 to stay at -1.  Still 13 players under par.]

[Update 20 (7:10 am):  Dori Carter posts 77.  Only 1 golfer has broken 75 thus far today!]

[Update 21 (7:13 am):  Alison Walshe matches Lexi's 75.  Chella Choi +5 through her 1st 4 holes.]

[Update 22 (7:13 am):  Georgia Hall and Ayaka Watanabe match Derrey's 74 for low rounds of the day thus far!]

[Update 23 (7:17 am):  Belen Mozo "only" +3 with 17 and 18 to play.  Can she make like Ji Young Oh on the last 2 holes and get the low round of the day?]

[Update 24 (7:19 am):  Ko got off her 3-hole bogey train.  Morita is on one right now.]

[Update 25 (7:22 am):  Hall finished at +9.  Talley is +6 with 5 to go.  Low am within reach....]

[Update 26 (7:25 am):  Ryu doubles 2 to drop to +1 on the week.  Hull's par on 1 keeps it at 7 golfers under par right now.]

[Update 27 (7:27 am):  Amy Yang doubled 1 to drop to +1.  Stacy Lewis, Eun-Hee Ji, Beatriz Recari, Gwladys Nocera, and Mo Martin all bogeyed 1 to fall to E.]

[Update 28 (7:32 am):  Amelia Lewis doubled 1 to fall back to E.  Now 6 players under par.]

[Update 29 (7:34 am):  Here's a crazy thought.  Laura Davies is "only" +5 with 7 to go.  If she goes on a closing birdie barrage, she could win this thing and earn those last 2 points she needs to make it into the LPGA Hall of Fame!]

[Update 30 (7:39 am):  Hull bogeys 2.  Now only 5 over par.]

[Update 31 (7:41 am):  Ahn doubles 1 to drop to -1.]

[Update 32 (7:42 am):  Creamer bogeys 9 to post 35 and drop to +3.  Talley still has only under-par round on front.]

[Update 33 (7:44 am):  Mozo posts 4th 74 of day.  Pornanong Phatlum "only" +3 with 2 to play.]

[Update 34 (7:46 am):  Disaster Watch continues.  45 for Ariya on front.  81 for Lin.]

[Update 35 (7:49 am):  Phatlum birdies 17 to move to +2.  Can she get low round of the day with birdie or better on 18?]

[Update 36 (7:50 am):  80 for Sarah Kemp a tough end to 2 weeks of pretty darn good golf.]

[Update 37 (7:51 am):  Pettersen doubles 1 to fall to -1.]

[Update 38 (7:52 am):  Granada doubles 2 to fall to E.  Only 4 under par now.]

[Update 39 (7:59 am):  Here's the leaderboard as ESPN's coverage starts:

Inbee Park -4 through 1
Shanshan Feng -3 through 1
Sun-Ju Ahn and Suzann Pettersen -1 through 1
Amy Yang E through 4
Julieta Granada E through 2

Time to talk to the ladies in Japan!]

[Update 40 (8:10 am):  Phatlum shoots 5th 74 of the day and is leader in the clubhouse at +8.]

[Update 41 (8:11 am):  Talley bogeys 16 to move to +7, 2-up on Hall for low amateur.]

[Update 42 (8:13 am):  Nordqvist +1 on the day with 3 to play, +6 overall.]

[Update 43 (8:14 am):  Davies +2 on her day with 4 to play, +5 overall.]

[Update 44 (8:15 am):  Creamer E on her day with 6 to play, +3 overall.]

[Update 45 (8:18 am):  Talley birdies 17 to move to +6!]

[Update 46 (8:19 am):  Inbee pulls 6-foot par save on 2 to fall to -3.]

[Update 47 (8:19 am):  Great approach by Ahn on 3 after 3 doubles in a row dating back to her penalty on 18 yesterday.]

[Update 48 (8:21 am):  Ji-Yai Shin birdies 9 to post 36 on front, +3 overall.]

[Update 49 (8:22 am):  Jessica Korda fights back after double on 2 with birdie on 7 to post 36 on front.  +2 overall.]

[Update 50 (8:25 am):  Carlota Ciganda birdies 2 of her last 4 holes to match Phatlum with 74/+8 finish.  Co-leader in clubhouse!]

[Update 51 (8:27 am):  Sergas +2/+7 heading into 18.]

[Update 52 (8:30 am):  Great lag by Inbee on 3.  Stays at -3]

[Update 53 (8:32 am):  Pettersen misses birdie chance.  Still 2 back.  Nobody else under par outside final group.]

[Update 54 (8:33 am):  Recari erased her double on 5 with birdies on 6 and 7.  +1.]

[Update 54 (8:34 am):  73 by Talley is low round of the day, just as her 34 on the front has been low round there.  She's low amateur and leader in the clubhouse at +6.]

[Update 55 (8:36 am):  Laura Davies birdies 15 to move to +1/+4!]

[Update 56 (8:40 am):  Another pull from Park.  She's now +2/-2.]

[Update 57 (8:40 am):  Nice sandie by Pettersen.  1 back.]

[Update 58 (8:41 am):  74 by Sergas tied for 2nd-best round of the day, but at +7 she's 1 behind Talley.]

[Update 59 (8:42 am):  Dammit.  Dame Laura Davies bogeyed 16.  +2/+5.]

[Update 60 (8:44 am):  Ji-Yai Shin bounced back from a triple on 11 with a birdie on 12.  She's now tied with Davies at +5.]

[Update 61 (8:45 am):  Sweet birdie by Feng on 5 gets her within 1 of Park. Watch out for Gwladys Nocera.  Her 36 on front puts her at +1 for the week, but she's in rough on 10.]

[Update 62 (8:46 am):  Creamer's got to make something happen on last 4 holes.  She's E on day, +3 overall.]

[Update 63 (8:49 am):  Nocera missed long par chance at 10.  +2/+2.]

[Update 64 (8:50 am):  Amelia Lewis leaves eagle putt on 6 in heart, 6 inches shy.  Good birdie, though.]

[Update 65 (8:51 am):  Creamer bogeys 15 to drop to +1/+4.]

[Update 66 (8:52 am):  Anna Nordqvist birdies 18 for low round of the day, a 72 that leaves her at +5.  We have a new leader in the clubhouse!]

[Update 67 (8:54 am):  Great bounce for Feng on approach on par-5 6th.]

[Update 68 (8:55 am):  Korda bogeys 12 to go to +2/+3.]

[Update 69 (8:57 am):  Side-door birdie for Feng for 2nd in a row.  Tied at -2 with Park for lead.]

[Update 70 (8:58 am):  Birdie for Ahn gets her back to E, only 2 off lead!]

[Update 71 (8:59 am):  Great approach on 9 by Beatriz Recari!]

[Update 72 (9:00 am):  Great 3-wood by Park allows her to hit 6th in 2.]

[Update 73 (9:02 am):  Davies needs to birdie 18 to be solo leader in clubhouse.]

[Update 74 (9:03 am):  Angela Stanford birdies 11 to go back to +2/+2.]

[Update 75 (9:04 am):  Nice lag on eagle try by Inbee!  Good bunker shot from Feng a hole ahead.]

[Update 76 (9:05 am):  Pettersen's putt from valley to left of 6 comes up about 20 feet short.]

[Update 77 (9:06 am):  Mo Martin's solid 36 on front leaves her at E with 9 holes to go.  Great birdie putt by Pettersen!]

[Update 78 (9:08 am):  Feng missed par save on 7.  Park birdies 6 to take solo lead at -3.  Pettersen -2.  Feng -1.  Martin E after side-door par on 10.  Ahn also E.]

[Update 79 (9:09 am):  Great approach by Pettersen on 7!]

[Update 80 (9:10 am):  Nocera bogeys 11, Korda bogeys 13, Creamer bogeys 16--all 2nd in a row.  Too late for these kinds of mistakes.]

[Update 81 (9:13 am):  Erina Hara's 75 makes her low Japanese golfer in the clubhouse at +7.  Rikako Morita at +6 with 6 to play, Ai Miyazato having terrible day, +9 through 11 and +10 overall.]

[Update 82 (9:15 am):  Pettersen missed another birdie attempt.  Martin hits 11 in regulation.  Ahn hits 8 in regulation.]

[Update 83 (9:15 am):  Park cans pressure putt to save par on 7.]

[Update 84 (9:17 am):  Charley Hull hanging tough, but bogeys 9 to drop to +3/+2.]

[Update 85 (9:18 am):  Nice 2-putt for Martin on 11, which she 4-putted yesterday.]

[Update 86 (9:19 am):  Korda birdies 14 to get back to +2/+3.  Great lag on 8 by Ahn.]

[Update 87 (9:21 am):  Mika Miyazato +7 in last 10 holes after going -4 over previous 40.]

[Update 88 (9:22 am):  Mina Harigae hangs in there for 75 to finish at +9.  She's having a pretty good 2014!]

[Update 89 (9:24 am):  Pettersen chunked her wedge on 8, just like she did on 5, both times after great drives.  Frustrating!]

[Update 90 (9:26 am):  Great shot by Hull from effectively 225 yards out!]

[Update 91 (9:28 am):  Davies birdied 18 for a 73 that leaves her at +4.  New leader in clubhouse!]

[Update 92 (9:31 am):  Bogey on 8 by Park drops her back to -2.  Let's see if Rikako Morita at +6 can make a move over the last 4 holes.]

[Update 93 (9:32 am):  Pettersen's putt for par pulled badly from 3 feet.  She's now -1 with Feng.  Mo Martin looking good at E with 6 to go.]

[Update 94 (9:33 am):  Morita birdies 15 to go to +5 for the week!]

[Update 95 (9:37 am):  Creamer goes bogey-bogey-double to go +5 over last 9 holes after fighting back to +2 for the week.]

[Update 96 (9:42 am):  Fantastic approaches by Pettersen and Park on 9.]

[Update 97 (9:43 am):  Stanford bogeyed 14 to drop to +3 on the week.  Coming back to Davies!]

[Update 98 (9:45 am):  Huge 9-foot birdie attempt for Inbee on 9 for 36.  Can she do it?  Bang!]

[Update 99 (9:46 am):  Nice birdie by Granada on 10.  She's +4 on day, +2 overall.]

[Update 100 (9:55 am):  Martin +1 with 4 to play.]

[Update 101 (9:57 am):  Azahara Munoz finished birdie-birdie for 75 to join Nordqvist at +5.  Davies still leader in clubhouse with only 12 players ahead of her.]

[Update 101 (9:58 am):  Clutch par save by Stanford on 15 keeps her at +3 for the week.]

[Update 102 (9:59 am):  Inbee goes from bad to worse in heavy stuff left on #10!]

[Update 103 (10:03 am):  Julieta Granada's ball was blown almost in a circle on 11 green.]

[Update 104 (10:05 am):  Inbee got out of the heavy stuff to front of #10 green, but left 100-footer 15 feet short right for bogey.]

[Update 105 (10:06 am):  Great save by Granada!  Now Amelia Lewis's ball appeared to move on 11.]

[Update 106 (10:08 am):  Inbee's putt got stopped by the wind and she has a tester for double.  Pettersen babied her par putt.  Now E.]

[Update 107 (10:09 am):  Nice bogey save by Amelia Lewis on 11.  Park stopped her putt for double at end of backswing!  Then she makes it.  Now -1, tied with Feng for lead.]

[Update 108 (10:12 am):  Davies now in top 10!]

[Update 109 (10:13 am):  Korda now tied with her at +4 after bogeying 17.]

[Update 110 (10:17 am):  Feng didn't set putter on ground when ball moved and then makes 7-foot par save on 11.]

[Update 111 (10:18 am):  Great shot by Stacy Lewis on 14.  Can she get something going from +4?]

[Update 112 (10:19 am):  Great approach by Pettersen on 11!  Great par save by Granada on 12!]

[Update 113 (10:23 am):  More evidence (as if it's needed!) that it's tough out there:  80 by Chella Choi and 79s by Ji-Yai Shin and Jenny Shin today!]

[Update 114 (10:25 am):  Wind blowing Inbee's chip on 11 farther away.  Korda hits 18's back fringe in 2.  Can become leader in clubhouse with 1- or 2-putt.]

[Update 115 (10:27 am):  Rikako Morita was trying to become leader in clubhouse herself but she took a triple on 17.  Meanwhile, Park misses par save on 11.]

[Update 116 (10:27 am):  Great lag on 12 by Feng.]

[Update 117 (10:29 am):  Park loses lead with bogey on 11.  Ahn doubles 12 to fall to +4. Korda birdies 18 with fantastic 12-footer to finish at +3.  Mo Martin +1 with 2 to play.]

[Update 118 (10:32 am):  HUGE birdie by Julieta Granada at 13!  She's now +1.]

[Update 119 (10:34 am):  Awesome bunker shot from Inbee on 12!]

[Update 120 (10:39 am):  Nice par saves by Inbee and Suzann on 12.  Great approach by Shanshan on 13.]

[Update 121 (10:43 am):  Nice approach on 17 by Martin.  Great wedge from behind the 14th green by Julieta Granada.  Good par by Feng on 13.]

[Update 122 (10:46 am):  Another money putt by Granada!  Great par!]

[Update 123 (10:47 am):  Nice green in reg from Shanshan on 14.  Also by Inbee on 13.]

[Update 124 (10:49 am):  Nice birdie by Stanford on 18 to join Korda at +3.  75 makes her co-leader in clubhouse.]

[Update 125 (10:50 am):  How tough was it out there today?  Ai Miyazato shot an 83 and Lydia Ko an 80!]

[Update 126 (10:51 am):  Erina Hara at +7 ends up being low Japanese golfer in field.]

[Update 127 (10:53 am):  Terrific chipped hybrid by Pettersen on 13.  Good par putt by Feng on 14.  Great birdie from 20 feet on 13 by Park!  Now tied for lead!]

[Update 128 (10:54 am):  Pettersen's bogey save dives at end, taps corner, doesn't fall.  Double moves her to +2.]

[Update 129 (10:56 am):  Mo Martin broke the ESPN feed as she rolled ball onto green in 2 and hit flagstick at speed it could have dropped!  Eagle putt coming up!]

[Update 130 (11:01 am):  Martin sinks eagle to tie Feng and Park for lead!  What a last hole--what a finish!  Her 72 is tied for low round of the day!]

[Update 131 (11:04 am):  Gotta give credit to Marina Alex for sinking that birdie putt right before Mo made her eagle.  Great +4 finish for her this week!]

[Update 132 (11:10 am):  Too bad for Amelia Lewis to take that triple on 15.  Feng sticks approach on 15.]

[Update 133 (11:12 am):  Somehow I missed Julieta's bogey on 15.  Anyway, maybe having someone to chase rather than not fall back to as leader in  clubhouse will motivate last groups differently.]

[Update 134 (11:13 am):  Tentative stroke on 4-foot birdie try by Feng on 15 keeps Martin tied for lead.  Huge miss.]

[Update 135 (11:15 am):  83s wild for Japanese golfers today.  Ayako Uehara and Miki Saiki matched Ai-sama's disastrous finish, Saiki with a walkoff 9.  Ugh.]

[Update 136 (11:20 am):  Missed Inbee's bogey on 14.  She's now E.  Great interview with Mo by BBC!]

[Update 137 (11:27 am):  Somehow Pettersen ended up in heavy stuff after 2nd shot on 15 and had to chop out to front of green.  Inbee was in great position and hit a great wedge on her 3rd shot, but hit her birdie putt through the break.  Pars for both.  Still 1 and 3 back of Martin and Feng.  Meanwhile, Shanshan pulled her approach on 16 and hit chip 10 feet left of pin.]

[Update 138 (11:32 am):  Feng misses par save to right.  Martin is alone under par.]

[Update 139 (11:37 am):  More big final round numbers from big names.  So Yeon Ryu and Beatriz Recari 79.  Stacy Lewis and Charley Hull 78.  Gwladys Nocera 77.  Eun-Hee Ji 76.  How great was Martin's 72?!  What a different finish this would have been without her walkoff eagle!]

[Update 140 (11:38 am):  Bad 3-putts by Granada on 15 and 16 take a win out of the question for her.  How did Pettersen's wedge not drop?!  Wind blowing in right direction....  Not gonna happen.]

[Update 141 (11:41 am):  Feng plays smart layup on 17.  Needs to get a wedge to the right level.  Good birdie try by Inbee on 16, but also hit it through the break.]

[Update 142 (11:43 am):  Pettersen needs to make an eagle and a birdie to catch Martin.  Let's see if she can do what she did on moving day!]

[Update 143 (11:45 am):  Pettersen put it in the higher rough to the right.  Inbee needs to go -2 over her last 2 to pass Martin.  Crunch time!]

[Update 144 (11:47 am):  Looks to me like Shanshan is standing over her putts a little longer than usual and looking up during downstroke a little.  Not a good birdie try on 17.]

[Update 145 (11:47 am):  Feng needs to match Martin's walkoff eagle to beat her.  Birdie to tie.]

[Update 146 (11:48 am):  Good lie but bad angle from right side on 17 for Park's approach.]

[Update 147 (11:50 am):  80 by Amy Yang today.  Good drives by Sun-Ju and Shanshan on 18.]

[Update 148 (11:52 am):  Pettersen runs her 2nd on 17 into front-right bunker.]

[Update 149 (11:53 am):  Tough finish for Amelia Lewis, ends up with 80 to finish at +6.  Park's approach bounds past pin.  Now she has to deal with edge of tier on her birdie try.]

[Update 150 (11:54 am):  Great shot from Pettersen from bunker gives her an uphill birdie try from about 8 feet.]

[Update 151 (11:56 am):  Ahn misses 18 to right.  Feng has 209 in.  Catches front-right bunker.]

[Update 152 (11:57 am):  Park misses 20-footer a few inches to right.]

[Update 153 (11:58 am):  Side-door birdie for Pettersen brings her within 2 of Martin.]

[Update 154 (11:59 am):  Park makes par putt.  Needs eagle to win, birdie to tie.]

[Update 155 (12:01 pm):  Feng's sand shot checks up on her.  15 feet or so short.  Perfect drive by Pettersen on 18, but Park missed hers into heavy stuff right.]

[Update 156 (12:03 pm):  Feng put a good stroke on it, but missed 2 inches left.  She can't win.]

[Update 157 (12:04 pm):  Ahn misses birdie putt to finish with a 79.  Shanshan finishes at E.]

[Update 158 (12:08 pm):  Inbee had trouble even identifying ball.  Hung up in grass short of bunker.  Pettersen has 191 to front with left-to-right helping wind.]

[Update 159 (12:09 pm):  Another front-right bunker for Pettersen.]

[Update 160 (12:12 pm):  Inbee had to chop out from a bad lie and put it in same bunker as Pettersen.  79 by Sun-Ju Ahn, 78 by Stacy Lewis.  How great is Martin's 72 looking?!]

[Update 161 (12:14 pm):  Pettersen goes 1st from raked area.  Puts it 3 feet left of pin, but never had a chance.  Now it's Inbee's turn from pristine part of trap.  Not even close.  Martin wins!!!!!!]

[Update 162 (12:15 pm):  Another great interview from Martin.]

[Update 163 (12:21 pm):  Pettersen birdied to tie Feng for 2nd, 1 shot back of Martin.  Both shot 75s.  Inbee ended up with a 77 to finish 2 back.]

[Update 164 (12:22 pm):  Great to see T-Joh so happy for Mo!]

[Update 165 (12:26 pm):  Who would have thought Mo would be the American to make it 3 in a row for the USA in LPGA majors?!  Congrats!!!]

[Update 166 (12:29 pm):  I never saw this coming, I'll tell you that.  I had Martin 27th among those without an LPGA victory at the start of this season and didn't even put her in my top 40 of those without an LPGA major.  Amazing!]

[Update 167 (1:21 pm):  With her victory, Martin moves from #77 to #28 on my list of best performers in LPGA majors since 2000.]

[Update 168 (1:28 pm):  Mo-linkage via Tony Jesselli, Shane Bacon, and I'm sure more coming!]

[Update 169 (3:38 pm):  Stephanie Wei interviewed Martin and Feng.]

[Update 170 (6:47 pm):  Martin gets the Golf Babes treatment!]