Patty Tavatanakit holds off Lydia Ko’s charge to win ANA Inspiration

Patty Tavatanakit played steady in the final round of the ANA Inspiration as Lydia Ko surged. The 21-year-old is now an LPGA major champion.

The first major on the LPGA calendar ended with plenty of drama. In the end Lydia Ko couldn’t quite chase down Patty Tavatanakit at the ANA Inspiration despite firing a final-round 62.

Tavatankit did some scoring herself on the final day at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, California, stringing together 15 pars along with an eagle and two birdies for a final-round 68. At 18 under, Tavatanakit was two shots ahead of Ko in second. She put together four rounds in the 60s.

This is not only Tavatanakit’s first major title, it’s her first LPGA title. The 21-year-old’s previous best finish on the LPGA was a share of fifth.

Had Ko managed to pull it off, it would have been her first LPGA title since 2018. Ko, 23, won this championship in 2016. The former World No. 1 has 15 career titles.

“I don’t think there was an exact moment where I felt like, ‘OK, this is going to be a good one,’” Ko said on Golf Channel of her final-round 62, the lowest final round in a major in LPGA history. “Especially around a course like this you just have to focus until that last putt drops in the last hole.”

Ko felt like she gave as good a chase as she could have.

“Maybe Patty was just a bit too far away,” she said.

Tavatanakit said she never focused on what Ko was doing ahead of her.

“Just kept hitting good shots, my putting, I rolled well, just didn’t read it well today,” she told Golf Channel. “Overall I really feel like I did stick to my game plan and I overcame he adversity out there. It was tough mentally and I just feel like it was a lot going on and I handled it well.”

Life will now be different as a major winner.

“I’m like, so pumped!” she could be heard saying as she walked off the green after being doused in champagne.

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