Atthaya records historic victory
Thai youngest player to claim pro event title
PATTAYA: Teen phenom Atthaya Thitikul became the youngest known winner of a professional golf tour event with victory at the inaugural Ladies European Thailand Championship yesterday.
At 14 years, four months and 17 days, amateur Atthaya broke a record set by Canada’s Brooke Henderson when she won an event on the Canadian Women’s Tour in June 2012 aged 14 years, nine months and three days.
With rounds of 70, 71, 70 and 72, the Thai schoolgirl, who turned 14 on Feb 20, won with a total of five-under 283, two shots clear of Ana Menendez who carded a 75 at Phoenix Golf and Country Club.
Atthaya, who also broke Lydia Ko’s record to become the youngest winner on the Ladies European Tour, said: “It makes me feel very happy and so proud of myself. This trophy, I give to Thailand and the Thai people.”
Henderson’s record for a male or female player came in a 36-hole event, bettering the mark by two days set by New Zealand’s Ko in January 2012 at the New South Wales Women’s Open.
Ko held the LET record, having won the 2013 New Zealand Open aged 15 years, nine months and 17 days.
Due to Atthaya’s amateur status, the top prize of €45,000 (approximately 1.7 million baht), however, went to second-placed Menendez, who had led after each of the first three rounds and earned her career best finish.
Australian Whitney Hillier, who is halfThai, finished third on two-under 286.
Another Thai Parinda Phokan (68) finished joint fourth on 287 along with Germany’s Leticia Ras-Anderica (67) and Amy Boulden of Wales (73).
Ploychompoo Wirairungrueng (71) and Pimpadsorn Sangkagaro (74) made it four Thais in the top 10 with their tied seventhplaced finishes on 288.
Atthaya had previously demonstrated her enormous potential when she finished tied for 37th in the recent Honda LPGA Thailand event, which she played in just a few days after her 14th birthday, on Feb 20.
She then received an invitation to play in the inaugural LET event in Pattaya from the tournament sponsor, the Sports Authority of Thailand. Her aim was to make the cut, gain experience and have fun.
However, her remarkable talent was soon on display again when she shot an opening round of 70 to lie two strokes off the lead and after subsequent rounds of 71, 70, she was the only player in the field of 126 under par for each of the first three rounds.
The final day began very much as usual for the girl nicknamed Jeen. Decked out in white and blue, even the ribbons in her hair matched her outfit.
Although there was a bogey on the first hole, she had gained a one-stroke lead after four holes and from that point looked unshakeable.
She gained a two-stroke advantage with a birdie on the seventh. On a steamy day in Pattaya, the question then became if anyone else could catch her.
Amy Boulden tried with a run of three straight birdies from the 11th, but a bogey on 16 ended her charge and she ended in a tie for fourth place on one-under 287.
Mendendez closed the gap to a stroke with a birdie on 11, but Atthaya responded with a birdie on hole 15, which gave her a two-stroke lead with three to play and both players closed with a run of three pars.
“I’m so happy and proud of myself. I did not look nervous, but of course I felt nerves on the first tee and on the first hole. I did not think about the score. I committed to every shot I hit and stayed relaxed. My caddie helped me a lot, not to think too much, to focus on my game plan and to plan the tee shots and second shots.
“My family do not play golf. When I was younger, aged six, my father told me to play sport and he offered tennis or golf and I watched golf on TV and I liked it.”
Second-placed Menendez said: “Right now, I’m disappointed, because I know I could have done better and my start was a little poor.
“There are lots of positives to take and I will go home happy. I’m looking forward to the rest of the year and I’ve made huge strides from this year to last year, so I’m proud of myself and my team.”
Hillier said: “I only made two birdies today and I was so patient out there. I made nothing on the front nine and then finally made a couple in the end. It was a solid game and I was very happy with that. I tried to get myself back up there and I did. I’ve been working really hard the last couple of months as well, but it does help to have local support, my mum and all of her friends cheering me on.”
Atthaya already has vast experience that most other youngsters would cherish. Earlier in June, she won the Taiwan Amateur Open after previously being second in the Queen Sirikit Cup in China. Her next big tournament is the Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia next month. (Par-72, Thai unless stated, a denotes amateur)
283 — a-Atthaya Thitikul 70-71-70-72
285 — Ana Menendez (MEX) 68-72-70-75
286 — Whitney Hillier (AUS) 74-72-69-71
287 — Leticia Ras-Anderica (GER) 73-73-74-67, Parinda Phokan 75-73-71-68, Amy Boulden (WAL) 73-74-67-73
288 — Lina Boqvist (SWE) 73-71-73-71, Ploychompoo Wirairungrueng 73-73-71-71, Frida Gustafsson Spang (SWE) 73-70-71-74, Pimpadsorn Sangkagaro
72-72-70-74
289 — Linda Wessberg (SWE) 75-73-70-71
290 — Jessica Karlsson (SWE) 71-73-73-73, Sarah Schober (AUT) 72-73-72-73
291 — Jenny Haglund (SWE) 75-75-73-68, Pajaree Anannarukarn 72-74-74-71, Olivia Cowan (GER) 72-75-73-71
292 — Chonlada Chayanun 68-75-78-71, Florentyna Parker (ENG) 74-75-72-71, Budsabakorn Sukapan
76-71-72-73, Pauline Del Rosario (PHI) 76-71-72-73, Eleanor Givens (ENG) 78-72-69-73, Camille Chevalier (FRA) 74-71-72-75, Anna Van Dam (NED) 76-71-7075, Janya Morrakotphan 74-71-71-76