Patty Tavatanakit holds on to win the 2021 ANA Inspiration

Patty Tavatanakit (YouTube)

We now have our first major champion of 2021, and it is Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit. On Sunday, the 21-year-old won the ANA Inspiration in Rancho Mirage, California, for the first LPGA Title of her career. Tavatanakit becomes the latest female golfer to win a major as her first LPGA title. 

However, even though Tavatanakit had a commanding five-stroke lead heading into the fourth round on Sunday, the final 18 holes turned out to be dramatic. That is because Tavatanakit had to hold off a surging Lydia Ko of New Zealand, who put together a magical round of -10, in what was one of the best rounds of golf for her entire career.

Tavatanakit posted a four-round score of -18, which beat Ko by two strokes. Ko’s score of 62 on Sunday was tied for the best ever round in the history of the ANA Inspiration. Former world number one Lorena Ochoa also shot a 10-under-par 62 in the first round of the 2006 ANA Inspiration according to Larry Bohannan of the Palm Springs Desert Sun. 

Tavatanakit also posted the second-best four-round score ever in the history of the ANA Inspiration. The only score that was better than Tavatanakit’s, was a -19 posted by Dottie Pepper of the United States at the 1999 ANA Inspiration.

For the four rounds, Tavatanakit was extremely consistent. She posted scores in the 60s in every round. She had a first-round score of six-under-par 66, a second-round score of three-under-par 69, a third-round score of five-under-par 67, and a fourth-round score of four-under-par 68. On Sunday, Tavatanakit got off to a sizzling start with an eagle on the second hole. That was followed by birdies on the eighth and 12th holes.

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