Solid Chonlada in two-way tie at top
Young Atthaya third at Thailand Championship
PATTAYA: Chonlada Chayanun fired an opening four-under-par 68 to share the first round lead with Ana Menendez at the inaugural Ladies European Thailand Championship.
Chonlada birdied the fifth, sixth, 10th, 13th and 16th holes, with a solitary bogey on the par-three 11th to match Menendez, whose 68 was the lowest round of her career, at the par-72 Phoenix Golf and Country Club.
The 24-year-old Chonlada from Nakhon Ratchasima, who was a 2015 Athlete of the Year at Iowa State University in the United States, said: “My driver was really good. I hit 13 fairways today and missed only one, which was on hole 18. I hit 14 greens and made all the up and downs. My putting was good and I had 30 putts, but it could have been better.”
Menendez, a second year professional from Mexico City, made five birdies on her first 14 holes yesterday to grab a one-stroke lead, but then dropped a shot at the parthree 16th to sit alongside the Thai star.
“I’m very pleased with the way I played today. I stayed patient out there and I’m proud of how I focused and held it together,” said the 25-year-old Menendez.
“I think this is a course where you need to strategise a lot, and I was doing that well. Some of the bounces can surprise you, so I was pleased with how I managed the course and I got up and down when I needed to and made two chip-ins today, so that helped.”
Menendez made two cuts from 10 starts last year as a rookie on the tour but has already improved with a career best tie for 21st place at the Lalla Meryem Cup in 2017.
Thai amateur Atthaya Thitikul, the youngest player in the field, was two strokes back in third spot after an opening 70.
The 14-year-old has the advantage of having played in the Thailand Ladies’ Amateur Championship on the same golf course twice before. Two years ago, she tied for fourth in the event with a three-round total of level par aged 12.
Atthaya said: “I’m so happy with my score today and it was so good. I used the experience of playing in the Honda LPGA Thailand to prepare for this. I hope to make the cut here and gain more experience.”
Norwegian Madelene Stavnar, who is the Ladies European Tour’s youngest member at 16, is a stroke further behind in a tie for fourth place with Jessica Karlsson of Sweden and Germany’s Karolin Lampert.
Stavnar said: “I am satisfied with the first round. Things can always be better but it was a rough start and then it got better. My driving, wedges and putting were working well.
“This is my first time in Thailand, so it’s a new country and I’m not used to the heat. It’s very different from home.”
There were five players tied for seventh place on even par. They are last year’s LET Access Series order of merit winner Sarah Schober from Austria, Luna Sobron from Spain, Olivia Cowan from Germany and Thai pair Pajaree Anannarukarn and Pimpadsorn Sangkagaro.
The second round gets under way at 7am this morning.
DUO SET EARLY PACE
Panuphol Pittayarat and Meechok Phantharak shot matching six-under-par 65s to grab the first round lead at the rainhit Singha Classic 2017 at the par-71 Royal Hills Golf Resort & Spa in Nakhon Nayok yesterday.
The duo were one shot ahead of Settee Prakongvech.
Panuphol, 24, had a bogey-free round of six birdies, while Meechok, 17, carded seven birdies against one bogey at the twomillion-baht tournament.
“I play at this course quite often so I know it well
Title-holder Jazz Janewattananond began his defence with a threeunder 68.
A heavy rain in the afternoon forced a one-hour delay and some of the players were unable to finish their first rounds yesterday evening.
(Par-72, Thai unless stated, a denotes amateur) 68 — Chonlada Chayanun, Ana Mendez (MEX)
70 — a-Atthaya Thitikul
71 — Karolin Lampert (GER), Madelene Stavnar (NOR), Jessica Karlsson (SWE)
72 — Pajaree Anannarukarn, Pimpadsorn Sangkagaro, Olivia Cowan (GER), Luna Sobron (ESP), Sarah Schober (AUT) 73 — Prima Thammaraks, Leticia Ras-Anderica (GER), Isabella Ramsay (SWE), Vani Kapoor (MEX), Emma Nilsson (SWE), Andrea Wong (USA), Pakpring Duangchan, Amy Boulden (WAL), Renuka Suksukont, Annabel Dimmock (ENG), Sophie Giquel-Bettan (FRA), Kusuma Meechai, Nemittra Juntanaket, Lina Boqvist (SWE), Oona Vartiainen (FIN), Ploychompoo Wirairungrueng, Nanthikarn Raksachat, Frida Gustafsson Spang (SWE)