One of the world’s rising stars in women’s golf is from Thailand. At third in the world is where you find Atthaya Thitikul, who has 7.4 average points, and is only behind world number one Jin Young Ko of South Korea, who is first in the world with 8.07 average points and world number two Nelly Korda of the United States, who is second with 7.46 average points.
This past weekend at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, Thitikul was victorious for the second time on the LPGA Tour this season. She shot a -17 after four rounds and then beat 2017 Women’s PGA Championship winner Danielle Kang of San Francisco, California in the second hole of a playoff.
Thitikul’s first victory of the 2022 season came at the JTBC Classic in Carlsbad, California this past March. Just like the event in Arkansas this past weekend, Thitikul won on the second of hole of a playoff, as she posted a four round score of -16 and beat Nanna Koerstz Madsen of Denmark. One difference however was the fact in Arkansas, Thitikul won with a birdie in the playoff, while at the JTBC Classic, Thitikul only needed a bogey to take the title.
At 19 years of age, Thitikul becomes the first rookie to win multiple times on the LPGA Tour since 2017 according to the Associated Press. Five years ago Sung-hyun Park of South Korea won the U.S. Women’s Open and the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open.
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There have been three multi-winners on the LPGA Tour in 2022. The other two are American Jennifer Kupcho, who has won thrice (Chevron Championship, the Meijer LPGA Championship in Michigan and the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational team event in Michigan with Lizette Salas of the United States), and Canadian Brooke Henderson, who has won twice (ShopRite LPGA Classic in New Jersey and the Evian Championship).
Thitikul joins a strong list of successful Thai female golfers. They include Aree Song (second at the 2004 Kraft Nabisco Championship), two-time major champion Ariya Jutanugarn (2016 Women’s British Open and 2018 United States Women’s Open), two-time LPGA Tour winner Moriya Jutanugarn, 2021 ISPS Handa World Invitational champion Pajaree Anannarukarn, 2021 ANA Inspiration champion Patty Tavatanakit, 2018 Women’s British Open runner-up Pornanong Phatlum, 2014 Youth Olympic Games bronze medalist Supamas Sangchan, and two-time LPGA Tour winner Thidapa Suwannapura.
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