By Kent Paisley
A few months ago, Lauren Stephenson quietly took a shot at a dream she has had since seeing Brittany Lincicome compete at the PGA Tour’s Barbasol Championship in 2018. The 24-year-old South Carolina native, still searching for her first LPGA win in four years on tour, wrote a letter to tournament director Steve Wilmot at the RBC Heritage requesting a sponsor’s exemption into the PGA Tour event she attended in her youth at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island.

“I grew up playing high school boys golf. I’m used to playing long yardages because I had to play from the same tees as them,” Stephenson said in explaining why she would have been well suited to become just the seventh woman to compete in a PGA Tour event. “I think it’d be really cool because I’m from South Carolina. It’s an invite-only tournament. It’s a tournament I grew up going to. I know a lot of people from around the area. Why not at least ask?”

Laura Stephenson. Sarah Stier

Indeed, the worst the tournament could say was no, which it did when it respectfully declined her request, noting interestingly she was not the first woman to try to get into the field.

News of Stephenson’s bid to play in a PGA Tour event leaves unanswered the following questions: When will a woman again tee it up with the men? And who might it be?

When thinking of such a feat, and with the PGA Tour at Colonial Country Club this week in Fort Worth, what immediately comes to mind is Annika Sorenstam memorably joining the field at the then Bank of America Colonial. It’s was 19 years ago that Sorenstam was paired with Dean Wilson and Aaron Barber for the opening two rounds, missing the cut by four shots but making news and shining a spotlight on women’s professional golf.

Only one woman has made a cut in a PGA Tour event, and that happened before the LPGA had officially formed. Babe Didrikson Zaharias, who first played in a PGA Tour event at the 1935 Cascades Open, made three 36-hole cuts in 1945: first at the Los Angeles Open (a third-round 81 kept her from making the field for the final 18 holes), a 33rd place at the Phoenix Open and 42nd at the Tucson Open.

Along with Zaharias, Sorenstam and Lincicome, Michelle Wie competed in eight PGA Tour starts from 2004 to 2008 and the late LPGA founder Shirley Spork finished 105th at the no-cut 1952 Northern California-Reno Open. Additionally, Suzy Whaley earned a start in the 2003 Greater Hartford Open after winning the Connecticut PGA Section Championship the previous autumn.

Sorenstam had remained a substantial figure in the women’s game, running her Annika Foundation and serving as a mentor to multiple players. Interestingly, trying to make a start on the PGA Tour is not a common topic when her pupils ask for advice. “I’m really not surprised [six women have played on the PGA],” Sorenstam said via email expressing that, “it is hard to do. You have to be at the top of your game, and then you need to get the invite and then have the courage to go through with it. It’s easier said than done.”

WOMEN WHO HAVE COMPETED IN PGA TOUR EVENTS

Babe Didrikson. Underwood Archives

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Like Sorenstam, Lincicome says no players have asked for advice on trying to make it into a tour field and what the experience felt like.

“It is kind of crazy,” Lincicome said about the fact she remains the last to have played. “I think it’s just a distance thing. Those guys hit it 320 [yards], 330 consistently or even fly it that far. The golf courses are just so long. As long hitters on the LPGA, our bread and butter are the par 5s you can get to in two and try to make some eagles on. Obviously, playing in a men’s event, there aren’t many opportunities to do that.”

A two-time major champion, Lincicome pointed out that for players to have a chance to make the cut in a PGA Tour event, not only would they need to average around 280 yards off the tee, but they would likely need to flip their practice regimen. Instead of focusing on short irons, as Lincicome does for her approach practice, they’d need to dedicate themselves to working on long irons into greens for a potential PGA start.

“Lexi [Thompson] could definitely go do it,” Lincicome said, noting the 11-time LPGA winner’s impressive length. “Ariya Jutanugarn, if she ever were to hit a driver, she hits it plenty far enough, she could definitely do it. We don’t normally talk about it.”

Jutanugarn actually contemplated making a run at a PGA Tour start when she was World No. 1 in 2018. She won three times that year, including the US Women’s Open for her second major title and joked about the possibility with her caddie as she felt her game was in a good place. One of the first stories her parents told her about playing professional golf was Annika’s start at Colonial when Jutanugarn was seven.

The challenge of following through would be the pressure, as Jutanugarn imagines playing on the PGA Tour would come with more nerves than competing as the No. 1 in the Rolex Rankings on the LPGA, a spot she held for 23 weeks in her career. Even averaging 262 yards off the tee so far in the 2022 season without using a driver, she’s unsure she’d hit the ball far enough.

“I think about it,” Jutanugarn said. “It’s always too big. I don’t know how to deal with all the spectators, the pressure, so I end up with stop thinking about it.”

Danielle Kang noted she has a couple of prerequisites before ever considering a PGA start. First, the six-time LPGA winner would want to become the No. 1 player in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. She nearly accomplished that in 2020, climbing as high as second after winning the LPGA Drive On Championship at Inverness Club in 2020 and then winning the Marathon LPGA Classic the following week. Now 11th in the Rolex Rankings, Kang also would need to find a tournament where she could compete with her 251-yard driving average.

“I’d be very careful on what golf courses to pick, where I can go low, how I can play to my advantage,” Kang said. “Maybe the straightness would help. It’d be really hard to compete on a 7,000-yard golf course when I don’t even hit it as far as [PGA players] hit a 4-iron.”

While some of the shorter PGA Tour setups hover around 7,000 yards, with the Sony Open (7,022 yards), RBC Heritage (7,121 yards) and the Colonial (7,209 yards), Hannah Green won the 2019 KPMG Women’s Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club that played at 6,807 yards. Since then, the Australian added 17 yards in driving distance off the tee, averaging 255 in 2019 to 272 this season.

POTENTIAL CANDIDATES FOR A FUTURE PGA TOUR START

Ariya Jutanugarn. Christian Petersen

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Green has had success competing against men as well. In February, she became the first woman to win a 72-hole mixed men’s and women’s professional event at the TPS Murray River in Australia. However, even with the CV and length to hold her own, she hasn’t attended a PGA event. Once Green’s coach Rickie Smith watched Scottie Scheffler win the WGC-Dell Technologies Match play event and mentioned how good the skill level was, Green put away any potential thought of competing on the PGA.

“After he said that, I don’t think I could compete against them,” Green quipped.

Mel Reid competes against Jupiter, Florida, neighbor Brooks Koepka in money matches, but that’s as far as she plans to go towards a potential PGA Tour start. The 34-year-old remembered watching Sorenstam at Colonial, and Vijay Singh’s comments that he’d withdraw if paired with the Swede. The Englishwoman understands the challenge of someone trying to overcome a seven-club difference between drivers, with some of the longer PGA Tour players hitting it 370, nearly 100 yards further than the longest on the LPGA.

Reid believes that to take that step and tee it up on the PGA Tour, a player needs to showcase herself as a preeminent star on the LPGA over an extended period. After all, Sorenstam won 43 times on the LPGA before teeing it up in Fort Worth.

“I totally get why Annika did it,” Reid said. “She completed dominated, won all these majors, and didn’t miss cuts, and was winning all the time. I think somebody like Nelly [Korda] and Jin Young [Ko] definitely could [make a PGA cut], but I think that’s in the future and definitely not right now.”

Like Reid, Patty Tavatanakit plays with PGA Tour members for practice. Her 323-yard average off the tee at her 2021 ANA Inspiration victory, albeit in Palm Springs desert conditions, optimal for the ball to run out, puts her in a category to have the necessary distance to compete on the PGA.

Tavatanakit brought the thought of trying to make a PGA start to her coach, former PGA Tour pro Grant Waite, as she enjoys going up against fellow Thai native Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Korn Ferry Tour members Curtis Luck and Ryan Ruffels in money games in Florida. However, making history didn’t occur to her until being asked about it.

“I’ve never thought about that [being the first LPGA member to make a PGA cut] actually,” Tavatanakit said, “I just come out here [the LPGA] to try to win tournaments, try to win majors.

“That’s something I could put on my list for sure.”

Others too are worthy of consideration: Maria Fassi tried her hand competing against men on the Moonlight Tour in Florida during the LPGA’s COVID-19 pause in May 2020. She missed the cut at Champions Gate, which played around 7,300 yards during the week. But the experience fueled her appetite for more, as she’s been in touch with the Mexican tour, trying to line up dates for a start there. The 2019 NCAA individual champion viewed the mini-tour experience as more of a mental challenge than physical, aiming to stay within her 274-yard driving average and not swing out of her shoes. She’d enjoy the challenge of taking a run to be the first woman to make the cut on the PGA Tour in the LPGA’s lifetime.

“Anytime you get a chance to be part of history … I would be lying if I’d say that’s not tempting,” Fassi said when asked about a future attempt from the Mexican native. “The more that we see women doing different things, it’s also going to attract different people to the game, and that’s only going to help me and everybody else on the LPGA Tour. One hundred percent that would be something that drives me to want to do it.”

Other players Golf Digest talked with generally echoed Fassi’s thought that the accomplishment could help validate the LPGA’s talent on a larger stage and potentially grow the game to PGA fans who otherwise don’t watch. Notably, it was Kang who holds reservations given the stark contrast in playing styles between the LPGA and PGA.

“It’s just something where they’re two completely different games, two completely different tours,” Kang said. “I can’t really compare the two and what it would mean. I don’t know if it’d grow the women’s game in a sense/not grow the women’s game in a sense. It shouldn’t really matter whether someone makes the cut or not. I think if they want to try it, they can try it.

“With that being said, Annika did it after she was World No. 1, she has made her name, and she has dominated on this tour and excelled at every level. I think that’s pretty respectable she gave it a go at a 7,000-plus yard golf course. It’s just a challenge, a different challenge.”

While the next woman may not become the first to make a PGA weekend in the modern era, Sorenstam confidently believes someone else will eventually accomplish the challenge she set for herself at the Colonial.

“I think it would be great, and I’m sure it will happen one day.”

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It was something out of a slapstick ‘Carry On’ flick, and after seeing it, we’re not sure which was funnier on Saturday: the hilarious way Ladies European Tour star Chloe Williams flipped backward over a sign, or her reaction upon seeing replays of it. Call it a dead heat, because Chloe was a great sport about it.

The setup: Wales star Williams was lining up her tee shot on the par-3 sixth in the LET’s Aramco Team Series — Bangkok, and in the background were on-course billboards advertising the Saudi Arabian destination of Diriyah. The red sand and colours are right behind her and there was a small piece of wooden ‘rock’ behind the tee that gave the ads a 3D quality. As Williams backed up to visualise her shot, the facade clipped her at the knees, and she tumbled backwards, her legs flying up in the air.

Final day fail for @ChloeWills95 ??#RaiseOurGame | #BringTheEnergy pic.twitter.com/NnADMIi2lU

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) May 14, 2022

The LET players are so accessible that an on-course reporter caught up to Williams later in the round — while she was still competing — to share the video with her. Williams got quite the kick out of it.

“I’m sorry, I’ve only just seen this,” Williams said as she watched the video on the reporter’s phone “Honestly, it’s just brilliant. I’m just glad I could contribute some fun for the group.”

The hardest part, Williams confessed, was that she still had the shot to hit while her partners were in hysterics. She smoothed a nice iron on to the green and made par. “I said to the girls, that was one of my best pars in history,” Williams said, still laughing.

In the 54-hole tournament, Williams closed with a 76 and tied for 52nd. The winner was Belgium’s Manon De Roey, who shot 66 to overtake overnight leader Patty Tavatanakit.

The post Watch: ‘One of the best pars in history’ — LET pro Chloe Williams takes a tumble at Aramco Team Series, and her reaction is worth a prize appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Matt Smith
Manon De Roey was the solo star in the inaugural Ladies European Tour Aramco Team Series — Bangkok, holding off Thailand’s home hope Patty Tavatanakit for her first ever career title.

A bogey-free six-under-par closing round at Thai Country Club was enough to overhaul world No. 13 Tavatanakit, who led by two after the second round. But the 2021 ANA Inspiration champion struggled to a final day one-over 73, and playing partner De Roey flourished, finding six birdies as she romped to a three-shot victory and her maiden Tour title.

“It feels great,” said De Roey – the first Belgian to win an LET title in 25 years. “I was waiting for this for a long time so I’m very happy.

“It was actually a really good day. I started quite strongly. I was hitting it quite close, made birdie on the second. I just stayed patient and I dropped in some good putts.

“I’ve been working hard on my game, just trying to stay patient for the win. I was really hoping for this last year, so I’m really happy I got it now this year.”

The 30-year-old added: “I have a pretty good record in the Aramco Team Series events – I’ve picked good teams. But I love it. The first few days I really played for the team. They really pushed to make a lot of birdies. Yeah, super happy. I mean, it’s been a long time for me. I fought really hard and I’m happy I came through.”

Played over three days, this was the first $1 million Aramco Team Series tournament to run under 2022’s new format, in which its $500,000 prize-fund team element – where three LET professionals team up with an amateur golfer – is battled out over only 36 holes.

That title was claimed a day earlier by Team Hillier: Australian Whitney Hillier, Krista Bakker of Finland, Thailand’s Chonlada Chayanun, and Bangkok businessman Pattanan Amatanon.

Now up to five events per season, the Aramco Team Series next heads to the UK for the Aramco Team Series – London, which will take place at Centurion Club in St Albans, June 16-18.

The post Aramco Team Series — Bangkok: Belgian Manon De Roey  denies home hope  Patty Tavatanakit for first Ladies European Tour title appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Matt Smith
Patty Tavatanakit held on to her individual lead as Team Hillier triumphed at the Aramco Team Series – Bangkok on Friday.

The innovative Ladies European Tour tournament runs a three-day individual strokeplay competition alongside the two-round, four-player team event and it was Whitney Hillier and her crew that came out on top to lift the team trophy at Thai Country Club.

Hillier, Chonlada Chayanun, Krista Bakker and amateur Pattanan Amatanon backed up their excellent first round to seal a three-stroke victory with a 15-under-par final round.

It was a first LET title for Hillier and Chayanun, while it is back-to-back victories for Bakker, who was part of Team Pedersen in Jeddah last November.

Captain Hillier said: “I’m so proud of my team. Even from the start of yesterday morning we just had a good vibe. Everything just flowed and obviously we played great golf, but we had a lot of the fun, so that was the most important thing too. This is my 10th year on tour, and for my first win to be in a team event, like that’s pretty cool. I’m just looking forward to tomorrow too, now.”

Bakker added: “It’s great to be here winning again. We had so much fun and as Whitney said, yesterday we started to play good right away and making birdies.”

It was a fantastic day for Chayanun, whose home club is Thai Country Club, in the Individual competition as she carded a 67 (-5) to help her team and climb up the individual leaderboard.

“I’m just happy,” she said. “I never thought about winning and we did it as a team, so I’m really happy. I’m so proud of my team. Everything was perfect today. I made so many pars and had like eight birdies, so that’s the secret. I got so much good energy from my team. They are really supportive, so that just made me keep going.”

Team Simmermacher led by Magdalena Simmermacher alongside Charlotte Liautier, Isabella Deilert and amateur Sirapob Yapala, finished in second place on 28-under, while Team Tavatanakit were third with a total of -26 and one shot further back in a tie for fourth place were Team Moriya Jutanugarn and Team Lampert.

Patty Tavatanakit. Aramco

In the individual competition, which concludes on Saturday, Tavatanakit signed for a three-under 69 to improve to nine-under.

The Major winner (she claimed the 2021 ANA Inspiration) rolled in birdies on seven and nine before dropping a shot on the 12th, but the Thai star rolled in back-to-back birdies on 17 and 18 to hold a two-shot lead heading into the final day.

“It was pretty good,” said Tavatanakit. “Walking off the course without my A game and being on top of leaderboard is always a nice feeling. If anything, just seeing a little bit of confidence that I left a lot out there and a lot of things could be improved tomorrow. I didn’t really have the right flow today, but I stayed patient and a couple putts dropped at the end so that helped a lot.”

England’s Felicity Johnson and Belgium’s Manon De Roey sit two shots off the lead on seven-under having fired rounds of 68 and 67, respectively.

“I played nicely and played really steady, I’m happy with my rounds from today and yesterday,” said Johnson. “I hit a lot of fairways and greens.

“Myself and my caddie did a lot of good work at the start of the week of where we’re trying to hit approach shots and to figure out the grain as the ball is making its way to the hole on the greens.”

De Roey added: “I feel great, I was just playing for the team today and trying to make as many birdies as possible. Last week I wasn’t playing my best golf, but I was able to make a lot of birdies and that built my confidence for this week, and I feel a bit more comfortable.”

? ????? ??????? ?? ??????? ?@Beany25 equalled the course record with a stunning 6⃣6⃣ (-6) to move into contention in Thailand ??#RaiseOurGame | #BringTheEnergy pic.twitter.com/AXIISiINpT

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) May 13, 2022

Two-time Major winner Ariya Jutanugarn is on six-under alongside Sweden’s Johanna Gustavsson with five players in a tie for sixth place on five-under including Scotland’s Catriona Matthew, who fired the best round of the day with a 66.

“I haven’t been playing much or practicing so didn’t quite know what to expect,” said the two-time winning Solheim Cup captain.

“I played well today, and I putted well. Kind of every little thing everything went for me. I’m disappointed in my finish. As a golfer you’re never too thrilled, but overall delighted.

“I picked out a new putter just before I came here and that’s been working so well. My caddie reads the greens great, so I just leave it to her, and she just points, and I try and hit it where she says.”

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The world No. 13 made the most of home advantage to finish one above Spanish starlet Ana Pelaez going into Friday’s second round.

Team Hillier, captained by Australia’s Whitney Hillier and featuring Chonlada Chayanun — playing her home course — Krista Bakker of Finland, and amateur Pattanan Amatanon lead at the halfway point in the tournament’s fourball format, after carding a day’s low of 16-under.

“It was really fun,” said Tavatanakit, the 2021 LPGA Rookie of the Year. “I kept my round going well. The team format is a little different. Being able to play with everyone at the same time and make birdies, cheering them on, it’s a really good feeling.

“It’s a format that relaxes you. I was really calm today and I felt like mistakes were fine, because I had other people there [to support] as well.”

The Aramco Team Series — Bangkok

Instead of opting for the player hotel, Tavatanakit is staying with her family in Bangkok this week — and has a friend from home, Dan, on her bag.

Asked if being one of the hometown heroes brought with it an extra level of playing pressure, the 22-year-old added: “I want to do well everywhere I play. I treat every week just like a normal event regardless of where I am, so I’m just here to play another tournament.

“Today, I read the greens really well. I was surprised actually that I didn’t really get more right reads or right breaks on the practice rounds, but today I think I was a little bit more focused and Dan really helped me.”

Breakout Spanish star Pelaez sits one back after a quite remarkable opening day bogey-free 67.

The 24-year-old only arrived in the Thai capital on Tuesday night after securing a late entry to the $1 million event following her shock six-stroke victory at the Madrid Ladies Open.

With storms delaying her Wednesday’s afternoon practice, Pelaez — who drove for five hours, then took three flights over 24 hours to reach Bangkok — arrived at Thai Country Club in the morning.

She used Google Earth to learn about the course, before going out for a birdie-birdie-birdie finish in here five-under.

“Honestly, I’m actually speechless,” said Pelaez. “I had a great round. I had a lot of fun. I had to be patient because I started par, par, par, birdie, par, birdie — then I didn’t get another birdie until hole 16. And then I finished with three in a row, so I’m extremely happy. A boost of confidence for tomorrow actually.

“I’m just happy we were able to get everything in place and that I’m here. I cannot believe I’m actually awake after traveling so much and all the emotions. I should be wasted, but I’m good.”

Team Hillier hold their own one-shot advantage going into what will be the closing day of the Aramco Team Series — Bangkok’s $500,000 team competition.

Their 16-under total was enough to give them a slender advantage heading into Friday’s deciding final round.

“We just made birdies early,” said Australian Whitney, who is half-Thai. “We had a good vibe and everyone was gelling pretty well – everyone was laughing and happy. So, yeah, good team. We played well.”

Team Magdalena Simmermacher (Charlotte Liautier, Isabella Deilert and amateur Sirapob Yapala) sit on 15-under, one ahead of the teams captained by Scotland’s Kylie Henry and Patty Tavatanakit.

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The post Hometown hero Patty Tavatanakit top after Day 1 of the Aramco Team Series — Bangkok as Team Hillier lead fourballs appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

World No. 14 Patty Tavatanakit is ready to show why she is one of the hottest properties on the Ladies European Tour when she makes her Aramco Team Series debut next month.

Th 22-year-old shot to prominence over the past 12 months thanks to claiming a stunning victory in the 2021 ANA Inspiration, plus multiple other top 10 performances, including at two more majors — the PGA Championship and British Open.

Ariya Jutanugarn

She will be joined by former world No. 1 and two-time major winner Ariya Jutanugarn and her sister and world No. 42 Moriya, helping boost local interest in the $1 million Aramco event.

The Aramco Team Series has been expanded to five events this season after last year’s successful debut, with Bangkok having the honour of hosting the opening event, where four-player teams compete for the title while the golfers also fight it out for individual honours. Using a draft system, each team captain picks their first player, before being randomly allocated a third professional and an amateur.

This season will also see a revised format for the event with the team event taking place over the first two days, with the third round for individuals making the cut in a last-day shootout.

“It’s amazing to see global tournaments like the Aramco Team Series come to my hometown of Bangkok,” Tavatanakit said. “The ATS tournaments are providing really cool opportunities for players all over the world and the new wave of female talent in Thailand to get chances on the LET and impress in front of the world. There’s a real buzz for women’s golf in Thailand after some of our performances on the international stage so it’s a great chance to keep that momentum.”

Following the curtain-raiser in Bangkok, the Aramco Team Series jets off around the world, and golf’s first team event series on any professional tour will head to London (Centurion Club, June 16-18), Sotogrande (La Reserva Club De Sotogrande, August 18-20), New York (Venue TBC, October 13-15), and Jeddah (Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, November 9-11).

Moriya Jutanugarn

“I’ve heard really positive things about the Aramco Team Series with a fresh format and the chance to play and connect with different players on the LET,” Ariya Jutanugarn said. “It gives players a lot more to play for during a tournament week both as a team and as an individual. I’ve enjoyed success before in team formats alongside my sister Moriya – so I’m looking forward to seeing who I get to team up with in the draft and a chance to host them on home soil in Thailand.”

Majed Al Sorour, Deputy Chairman and CEO of Golf Saudi and the Saudi Golf Federation added: “The Aramco Team Series is bigger and better this year and it’s exciting to expand to Asia and one of golf’s fastest growing markets in Thailand. It’s a hotbed of talent with players now getting more opportunities to mix it with the LET’s very best players in different formats with global exposure. It’s a chance to showcase the growth of women’s sport, superstar names and the next generation — all from a perfect venue in Bangkok to kick off the new ATS season.”

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The post Thai stars Tavatanakit and Jutanugarn sisters ready for home debut at Aramco Team Series — Bangkok appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Fifteen years in the making, Thailand has emerged the next big force in women’s golf

By Kent Paisley
The LPGA has been a bimodal world since Se Ri Pak elevated South Korean golf by winning the 1998 U.S. Women’s Open. Since then, South Korea and the United States have dominated the tour, with their respective flags—both featuring red, white, and blue—peppering the top of the tour’s leader boards.

But a third red, white, and blue banner is emerging among the duelling powers in 2021. In 21 tournaments played on the LPGA Tour this season, tour pros from Thailand have the second-most victories (four) of any country, ahead of South Korea (three) and trailing only the U.S. (seven).

Ask most observers and they’ll tell you the rise of Thai talent on tour is the 15-year payoff of the LPGA creating a tour stop in the country in 2006 with the launch of the Honda LPGA Thailand.

“Just bringing the event to Thailand every single year, it’s been a big impact,” said Patty Tavatanakit, a 21-year-old rookie who earned a breakthrough victory in April when she won the ANA Inspiration. “I can say for a fact I wouldn’t grow up going to those events and watch them play and make it my dream to come out here.”

Two years before the Honda LPGA Thailand began, Russy Gulyanamitta became the first Thai golfer to reach the tour. Indeed, the nation wasn’t worth mentioning among golf powers at the time. In 2006, just one Thai golfer recorded one lone top-10 finish, Virada Nirapathpongporn’s T-5 at the LPGA Corning Classic.

Even so, Honda Automobile, the Thai-based title sponsor, started laying the groundwork for the rise of golf within the country, using its sponsor’s invitations on local Thai players. In the tournament’s first year, current tour members Pornanong Phatlum and Jasmine Suwannapura (an eventual two-time tour winner) made their maiden LPGA starts. Subsequently, Moriya Jutanugarn (2009), Ariya Jutanugarn (2010), Tavatanakit (2015) and Pajaree Anannarukarn (2017), the four LPGA winners from Thailand this year, all made their first appearances on tour at the event.

More importantly, the tournament’s investment in golf reached the grassroots level. Tournament officials hosted golf clinics with LPGA players during the week to teach the game to Thai kids. Pro-Am parties let participants learn more about life on tour. Tavatanakit recalled soaking in all the Honda LPGA Thailand could offer her golf dreams in 2012. She participated in a clinic, then attended the pro-am party with a friend that let her talk with Christina Kim and take a photo with Paula Creamer.

“Little moments like that keep on inspiring my younger self,” Tavatanakit said. “I’m sure I believe younger people, younger kids would feel inspired too if they have those moments.”

In turn, the investment set in motion what would be the game’s explosive growth within the country. A decade later Ariya Jutanugarn won the 2016 Ricoh British Women’s Open, making her the first Thai player to win a major. In her post-round victory press conference, Jutanugarn kept her aims small but meaningful.

“I hope I can inspire somebody in Thai [to take up golf],” Jutanugarn said after her victory.

Jutanugarn’s win launched its own surge of Thai LPGA victories. In the last six years, Thai players have won 18 LPGA tournaments. That’s the third most of any country over that time, trailing only South Korea (55) and the United States (37).

Carmen Mandato
Moriya Jutanugarn, older sister of Ariya, is among four Thai golfers to win on the LPGA Tour in 2021.

In signs of the exponential growth, the 18 victories are over half the top-10s Thai LPGA members had from the preceding decade (32) after the creation of the Honda LPGA Thailand in 2006 to 2015.

Ariya (12 wins including the most recent with her sister) holds the bulk of Thai LPGA trophies, but the list of winners is expanding. Suwanapurra and Moriya Jutanugarn won for the first time in 2018, having two victories each. Tavatanakit and Anannarukarn joined their compatriots this year.

Thailand’s growing talent extends beyond its winners. Atthaya Thitikul almost won the Honda LPGA Thailand this season, if not for Ariya snatching victory out of her hands with a final-round 63 to beat Thitikul by one and to become the first Thai player to win the tournament. The 18-year-old Thitikul is impressing on two tours in 2021. She hasn’t finished outside the top-five in four starts on the LPGA and sits atop the Ladies European Tour money list with a victory and seven top-10s in ten starts on the LET. Wichanee Meechai posted her career-best T-5 at the Pure Silk Championship this year and finished T-8 at the ISPS Handa World Invitational.

Phatlum finished runner-up at the 2018 Women’s British Open. Despite tropical Thailand and temperate U.K.’s opposing climates, Thai players have finished in the top two in three of the last five AIG Women’s Opens. Suwannapura finished second to Sophia Popov in 2020.

“I envision us to be sort of like the [South] Koreans, where we’re always on top of the leader board,” Tavatanakit said. “A lot of times we’re just on top of leader boards on top of each other. I feel like every time I see that, I feel so proud that we as a country, we can also be dominant and do this out here [on the LPGA].”

Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott, founders of Vision54, have their fingerprints all over the rising Thai depth. They’ve worked with the Jutanugarns for the last six seasons, Tavatanakit for the past two years, as well as Anannarukarn and Meechai attending Vision54’s golf schools. The pair noticed the growth of Thai golf within the increased enrollment in their academy and the additional demand for their coaching.

“We have had about 15 Thai players coming for coaching or our golf schools,” Nilsson said via email. “Lots of interest among Thai teachers to come to the U.S. for training or do our remote trainings.”

Thananuwat Srirasant
Many point to Atthaya Thitikul, a three-time Ladies European Tour winner, as Thailand’s next breakout star golfer.

The current Thai success on the LPGA is fueling the churning wheel that’s led to expansive growth in women’s golf in Thailand. Investment in opportunities leads to inspiring moments, leading to more players on the LPGA, leading to further investment in opportunities.

The Trust Scottish Open last week is the latest example of Thailand’s continued connection with the LPGA. It’s the second tour event with a Thai-based company, Trust Golf, as the title sponsor. Like the Honda LPGA Thailand, Trust Golf provided opportunities to players from its homeland, with 11 Thai players in the field.

“I feel like it’s more like Thai Tour right now,” Meechai said after the first round of the Trust Scottish Open. “Like you see, meet a lot of Thai girls and can speak Thai with them. I feel so comfortable with them. I love it.”

Thai players were in contention as well at Dumbarnie Links. Ariya [fourth] and Thitikul [T-2] finished inside the top-10.

Former LPGA commissioner Mike Whan singled out Thailand as a thriving example of how podium sports in the Olympics can fuel golf’s growth within a nation; Ariya Jutanugarn and Tavatanakit representing the country in the Tokyo Games two weeks ago. South Korea and the United States have owned women’s golf at the games, being the only two nations to send four athletes [The Olympics requiring each player to be inside the top 15 in the Olympic Golf Rankings to have more than two representatives]. Each country further asserted itself by winning a gold medal, with Inbee Park [2016] and Nelly Korda [2020] the two modern-day gold medalists.

The 2024 Games is where Tavatanakit has her eye for the next step of Thai golf’s rise into the LPGA powers.

“Hopefully by the time we get to Paris,” Tavatanakit said, “there will be four players from Thailand.”

The post Move over South Korea. The next wave of top international female golfers are coming from here appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

As was the case with the men’s Olympic competition, International Golf Federation officials have appropriately given the honour of hitting the opening tee shot of the 2021 Olympic women’s golf tournament to a native of the host country.

Japan’s Mone Inami will be the first player off when the women’s event begins on Wednesday at Kasumigaseki Country Club at 7:30 a.m. local time (6:30 p.m. eastern time Wednesday in the U.S.). Inami will be playing in the threesome with Maria Fassi of Mexico and Albane Valenzuela of Switzerland. (Side note: You might recall that Sepp Straka was in the opening pairing of the men’s tournament and shot a 63 to take the early lead last week.)

There are several interesting pairings to follow, most notably the threesome of Inbee Park, Lydia Ko and Shanshan Feng that tees off on Day 1 at 7:25 p.m. Tuesday night U.S. time. The trio from South Korea, New Zealand and China won gold, silver and bronze at the 2016 Rio Games.

As for the four Americans competing in the women’s event, World No. 1 Nelly Korda tees off at 7:14 p.m. Wednesday night U.S. time (paired with Nasa Hataoka and Jin Young Ko), with Lexi Thompson following her at 7:25 p.m. (with Brooke Henderson and U.S. Women’s Open champ Yuka Saso). Jessica Korda tees off at 9:03 p.m. and Danielle Kang has a 9:36 p.m. tee time.

ANA Inspiration winner Patty Tavatanakit of Thailand and Amundi Evian Championship winner Minjee Lee of Australia are paired together along with 2020 AIG Women’s British Open winner Sophia Popov. They tee off at 9:14 p.m. Tuesday in the U.S.

Here are all the first and second round tee times at Kasumigaseki Country Club:

ROUND 1
First Tee

7:30 a.m./6:30 p.m.
Mone INAMI, Japan
Maria FASSI, Mexico
Albane VALENZUELA, Switzerland

7:41 a.m./6:41 p.m.
Kelly TAN, Malaysia
Alena SHARP, Canada
Anne VAN DAM, The Netherlands

7:52 a.m./6:52 p.m.
Leona MAGUIRE, Ireland
Bianca PAGDANGANAN, Philippines
Matilda CASTREN, Finland

8:03 a.m./7:03 p.m.
Mel REID, Great Britain
Caroline MASSON, Germany
Anna NORDQVIST, Sweden

8:14 a.m./7:14 p.m.
Nasa HATAOKA, Japan
Jin Young KO, South Korea
Nelly KORDA, USA

8:25 a.m./7:25 p.m.
Brooke HENDERSON, Canada
Lexi THOMPSON, USA
Yuka SASO, Philippines

8:41 a.m./7:41 p.m.
Inbee PARK, South Korea
Lydia KO, New Zealand
Shanshan FENG, China

8:52 a.m./7:52 p.m.
Sanna NUUTINEN, Finland
Maria TORRES, Puerto Rico
Tiffany CHAN, Hong Kong

9:03 a.m./8:03 p.m.
Klara SPILKOVA, Czech Republic
Manon DE ROEY, Belgium
Christine WOLF, Austria

9:14 a.m./8:14 p.m.
Maha HADDIOUI, Morocco
Lucrezia COLOMBOTTO ROSSO, Italy
Daniela DARQUEA, Ecuador

9:25 a.m./8:25 p.m.
Nanna KOERSTZ MADSEN, Denmark
Aditi ASHOK, India
Giulia MOLINARO, Italy

9:36 a.m./8:36 p.m.
Wei-Ling HSU, Chinese Taipei
Azahara MUNOZ, Spain
Jodi EWART SHADOFF, Great Britain

9:47 a.m./8:47 p.m.
Xiyu LIN, China
Emily Kristine PEDERSEN, Denmark
Madelene SAGSTROM, Sweden

10:03 a.m./9:03 p.m.
Jessica KORDA, USA
Celine BOUTIER, France
Gaby LOPEZ, Mexico Gaby Mexico

10:14 a.m./9:14 p.m.
Minjee LEE, Australia
Patty TAVATANAKIT, Thailand
Sophia POPOV, Germany

10:25 a.m./9:25 p.m.
Ariya JUTANUGARN, Thailand
Hyojoo KIM, South Korea
Carlota CIGANDA, Spain

10:36 a.m./9:36 p.m.
Danielle KANG, USA
Hannah GREEN, Australia
Sei Young KIM, South Korea

10:47 a.m./9:47 p.m.
Min LEE, Chinese Taipei
Stephanie MEADOW, Ireland
Perrine DELACOUR, France

10:58 a.m./9:58 p.m.
Mariajo URIBE, Colombia
Pia BABNIK, Slovenia
Magdalena SIMMERMACHER, Argentina

11:09 a.m./10:09 p.m.
Diksha DAGAR, India
Kim METRAUX, Switzerland
Tonje DAFFINRUD, Norway

ROUND 2
First Tee

7:30 a.m./6:30 p.m.
Nanna KOERSTZ MADSEN, Denmark
Aditi ASHOK, India
Giulia MOLINARO, Italy

7:41 a.m./6:41 p.m.
Wei-Ling HSU, Chinese Taipei
Azahara MUNOZ, Spain
Jodi EWART SHADOFF, Great Britain

7:52 a.m./6:52 p.m.
Xiyu LIN, China
Emily Kristine PEDERSEN, Denmark
Madelene SAGSTROM, Sweden

8:03 a.m./7:03 p.m.
Jessica KORDA, USA
Celine BOUTIER, France
Gaby LOPEZ, Mexico Gaby Mexico

8:14 a.m./7:14 p.m.
Minjee LEE, Australia
Patty TAVATANAKIT, Thailand
Sophia POPOV, Germany

8:25 a.m./7:25 p.m.
Ariya JUTANUGARN, Thailand
Hyojoo KIM, South Korea
Carlota CIGANDA, Spain

8:41 a.m./7:41 p.m.
Danielle KANG, USA
Hannah GREEN, Australia
Sei Young KIM, South Korea

8:52 a.m./7:52 p.m.
Min LEE, Chinese Taipei
Stephanie MEADOW, Ireland
Perrine DELACOUR, France

9:03 a.m./8:03 p.m.
Mariajo URIBE, Colombia
Pia BABNIK, Slovenia
Magdalena SIMMERMACHER, Argentina

9:14 a.m./8:14 p.m.
Diksha DAGAR, India
Kim METRAUX, Switzerland
Tonje DAFFINRUD, Norway

9:25 a.m./8:25 p.m.
Mone INAMI, Japan
Maria FASSI, Mexico
Albane VALENZUELA, Switzerland

9:36 a.m./8:36 p.m.
Kelly TAN, Malaysia
Alena SHARP, Canada
Anne VAN DAM, The Netherlands

9:47 a.m./8:47 p.m.
Leona MAGUIRE, Ireland
Bianca PAGDANGANAN, Philippines
Matilda CASTREN, Finland

10:03 a.m./9:03 p.m.
Mel REID, Great Britain
Caroline MASSON, Germany
Anna NORDQVIST, Sweden

10:14 a.m./9:14 p.m.
Nasa HATAOKA, Japan
Jin Young KO, South Korea
Nelly KORDA, USA

10:25 a.m./9:25 p.m.
Brooke HENDERSON, Canada
Lexi THOMPSON, USA
Yuka SASO, Philippines

10:36 a.m./9:36 p.m.
Inbee PARK, South Korea
Lydia KO, New Zealand
Shanshan FENG, China

10:47 a.m./9:47 p.m.
Sanna NUUTINEN, Finland
Maria TORRES, Puerto Rico
Tiffany CHAN, Hong Kong

10:58 a.m./9:58 p.m.
Klara SPILKOVA, Czech Republic
Manon DE ROEY, Belgium
Christine WOLF, Austria

11:09 a.m./10:09 p.m.
Maha HADDIOUI, Morocco
Lucrezia COLOMBOTTO ROSSO, Italy
Daniela DARQUEA, Ecuador

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By John Strege
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. — All players practice visualisation, but what Patty Tavatanakit was visualising two years ago was not her next shot, but her future, and it precluded her from accepting an invitation from Augusta National. Magnolia Lane represented a detour.

Tavatanakit declined an opportunity to play in the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur in 2019. Looking ahead to an LPGA career, she instead accepted an invitation to play in the ANA Inspiration, concluding that it would better prepare her. “It’s a bummer letting go of that [Augusta], but the ANA is a perfect field for me,” she said at the time.

How’d that work out for her? Well, a day after the conclusion of the second Augusta National Women’s Amateur, Tavatanakit made the celebratory leap into Poppie’s Pond, confirmation that her decision was the right one. Only 21, Tavatanakit won the ANA Inspiration, a wire-to-wire victory that further illuminates what in many precincts already was considered a given.

That her future was bright.

“It’s a dream come true,” she said. “Every time I play here I remember exactly. I was on this green receiving my low amateur award [at the 2019 ANA Inspiration] and I saw they were jumping [into the water] and I took a Snapchat and the caption was, ‘One day.’ ”

His maiden LPGA victory in only her 18th start as a tour member, came with more difficulty than she might have imagined, having staked herself to a five-stroke lead through 54 holes. But Lydia Ko, a past ANA champion, made her earn it by going out in seven-under-par 29, followed by birdies at 10 and 11 to cut Tavatanakit’s lead to two, the final margin of victory.

Tavatanakit gamely protected her lead, playing a bogey-free round of four-under 68 that included a chip-in eagle on the second hole and birdies at eight and 12. She completed 72 holes in 18-under 270. Ko, meanwhile, shot a 10-under 62 and finished second.

The victory for the native of Thailand who still is classified as a rookie validated the potential foretold by her amateur résumé that included seven victories while at UCLA, a tie for fifth in the U.S. Women’s Open as an amateur in 2018 and three Symetra Tour wins.

It was a methodical 18-hole victory lap for Tavatanakit, who was expressionless throughout her round, concealing whatever her emotions were. Only when she tapped in for par on the 18th green did even-keel give way to a wide grin. Then the celebration began with a champagne shower from other players, the trophy presentation and the traditional leap into Poppie’s Pond adjacent to the 18th green.

She conceded that she was unaware of what was unfolding ahead of her. No fans equalled no roars and her cursory glance at leader boards did not include her looking at the numbers.

“I had no idea,” she said. “I saw her name up there, but I didn’t look at it. I wanted to play my own game, which I did, and did a really good job of that today.”

It wasn’t a stress-free round, the final round of a major not permitting one. But she did not add to the stress with any wild, errant shots. She missed only three fairways and hit 16 of 18 greens in regulation.

It was, in the final analysis, a clinic on how to close out a victory, her first, but unlikely her last.

The post Patty Tavatanakit realises her dream (and a Snapchat) with her two-stroke victory appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By John Strege
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. — When taking the measure of LPGA rookie Patty Tavatanakit, it would do well to start with a tape measure. She is a home-run hitter in a single hitter’s frame and her power helped distance herself from the rest of the ANA Inspiration field on Saturday.

Tavatanakit, 21 and 5-feet, 5-inches tall, opened her round with tee shots measuring 300, 337 and 360 yards, wind-aided, she said, but no matter. They set up birdies on the first three holes on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course en route to a five-under 67 and a five-stroke lead through 54 holes.

“It’s always nice to have a good start,” she said. “It helped to make me feel comfortable out there. I was really pleased with how everything played out.”

On Sunday, in this only her 18th start as a member of the LPGA, Tavatanakit will be pursuing a wire-to-wire victory, one that would make her just the second rookie to win this women’s major championship. The other? World Golf Hall of Fame Juli Inkster in 1984.

Five shots is a nice cushion, but whether it’s a comfortable one in the final round will depend on how she handles pressure dialed up to extreme, more so with a strong cast of pursuers that include defending champion Mirim Lee (tied for second with Ally Ewing) and Shanshan Feng, who trails by six. Inbee Park, a past champion here, trails by seven.

Among the legion of youth who drew inspiration from Tiger, Tavatanakit appreciates Woods’ ability to have closed out victories, that whatever he led by, he attempted to extend it.

“I’ve got it mind,” Tavatanakit said, hinting at her approach on Sunday.

“You know, today I’m going to leave it behind. It’s a great day, acknowledged it, and it’s in the past now. All I can think about is what can I do tomorrow, what can I improve from today’s round? I was getting a little tired at the end. What can I do to keep my energy level up throughout the day tomorrow? That’s going to be my goal. And just stay calm out there. I feel like I did that pretty well. So whatever the outcome is I’ll be really happy. It’s been a good week so far.”

Tavatanakit had seven birdies and only two bogeys, the latter coming on the back nine on another long, hot day, with the wind kicking up. She described it as “a good round in tough conditions. I just kept staying in the present, taking it shot by shot and hole by hole.”

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