No place like home course for Kanyalak
Thai star claims LET title, berth in majors
PATTAYA: Thailand’s Kanyalak Preedasuttijit won the Ladies European Thailand Championship on her home course at Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club yesterday.
With rounds of 70, 68, 66 and 69, the 20-year-old from Chonburi posted a winning total of 15-under 273, earning €45,000 (approximately 1,730,000 baht) and a place in this year’s two European Majors: the Ricoh Women’s British Open and The Evian Championship.
She ended a stroke clear of 17-yearold South Korean amateur Hyun Selin, who shot a sizzling 65 in the final round, improving by 10 strokes on her opening round of 75.
Thailand’s Chonlada Chayanun shot 69 and ended four strokes back in third place, but took home €27,000 (1,040,000 baht) as the prize money for second place due to Hyun’s amateur status. Anne Van Dam from the Netherlands closed with a 71 to end up lone fourth on nineunder 279.
The final day was set up perfectly for a gripping climax. With the local golfer holding a four-shot lead, the pack of players queuing up behind meant that nothing was guaranteed on the challenging course, but no player would know the course better than the leader.
As the sun once again dominated the eastern seaboard skyline, plenty of players went low from the start of the day.
Thai youngster Arpichaya Yubol, 16, known as “Piano”, had her 13-year-old brother as caddie and shot a 66 to end in fifth spot at eight-under-par.
Manon Molle from France shot a fine 67 and her scores improved dramatically over the weekend after she hired fellow Ladies European Tour professional Ariane Provot as her caddie, having pushed her own bag in stifling heat for the first two rounds. She tied for sixth with Thailand’s Supamas Sangchan, who won the Sanya Ladies Open in tropical Hainan, China, last year.
Kanyalak, also known as “Bew”, simply played the course to perfection and managed to control her emotions superbly in the stifling heat. The difficulty of playing in such difficult climatic conditions is that they can often test the emotions of the players and she personified calmness throughout the event.
She said: “I tried to control my game and it was very consistent, so I felt confident. I had practised a lot at Phoenix, but I didn’t want to put pressure on myself so I didn’t look at the score.”
This was Kanyalak’s third professional title, following wins on the Thai LPGA and China LPGA last year, having turned professional only 15 months ago.
The biggest factor in the end was the climate, with the relentless heat seeing many players flagging at the conclusion of the event. However, Sweden’s Lynn Carlsson coped well, firing a final round 73 to share eighth place with Thailand’s Aunchisa Autama and Pauline Del Rosario of the Philippines. Noemi Jimenez Martin, from Malaga, Spain, also finished strongly with a 69 to share 11th place.
However, Kanyalak expertly mastered the conditions and became the latest talent to emerge from Thailand following Atthaya Thitikul’s historic victory in the event last year.
LEADING FINAL ROUND SCORES
(Par-72, a denotes amateur)
273 — Kanyalak Preedasuttijit (THA) 70-68-66-69 274 — a-Hyun Selin (KOR) 75-65-69-65
278 — Chonlada Chayanun (THA) 70-71-68-69 279 — Anne Van Dam (NED) 67-71-70-71
280 — Arpichaya Yubol (THA) 71-71-72-66
281 — Manon Molle (FRA) 74-69-71-67, Supamas Sangchan (THA) 71-71-70-69
282 — Pauline Del Rosario (PHI) 70-67-74-71, Aunchisa Utama (THA) 67-73-71-71, Lynn Carlsson (SWE) 72-65-72-73
283 — Noemi Jimenez Martin (ESP) 72-70-72-69,
Parinda Phokan (THA) 72-72-69-70