Tag: 2022 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship

Rookie Atthaya Thitikul wins in a playoff for a second time on the LPGA this season, defeating Danielle Kang in Arkansas

It’s the second playoff win for Thitikul this year,

Atthaya Thitikul became the first rookie in five years to win twice in one season after she defeated Danielle Kang in a sudden-death playoff. The 19-year-old Thai player, a former phenom, carded a career-low 61 on Saturday at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship and then poured in birdies at just the right time on Sunday.

Thitikul becomes the fourth Thai player to win multiple titles on the LPGA, joining Ariya Jutanugarn (12), Moriya Jutanugarn (2) and Jasmine Suwannapura (2). She’s the fourth player to win multiple LPGA titles in 2022, joining Jennifer Kupcho (3), Minjee Lee (2) and Brooke Henderson (2), who all won majors this season.

“I’m in the final group, then just prove myself that, yeah, you can do it,” she said of joining the Jutanugarns on a short list of Thai players who have won more than one title.

“Even you have a pressure on it, you have a pressure on yourself, and I think it’s mean a lot to me and to my team as well because they know that I can do it, like many times.”

Kang, 29, was making her third start since returning to the tour after testing and treatment for a tumor on her spine. While she hasn’t revealed much about that process, Kang was emotional in a post-round interview, saying she wondered, at times, if she’d ever get the chance to compete at again.

“I don’t think I’ve ever cried by losing,” she said, calling them happy tears.

Kang holed out for eagle on the 18th hole in regulation to take the clubhouse lead at 17 under. Thitikul matched her with a birdie on the penultimate hole. They proceeded to a sudden-death playoff, with Thitikul winning on the second hole with birdie. Both of Thitikul’s LPGA titles this season were won in a playoff.

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Asked if it was any easier the second time around, Thitikul, known by friends at “Jeeno,” said absolutely not.

“Not at all,” she said. “I mean, like I just feel like playing golf with Danielle is kind of tough as well because she is pretty great player, win a lot on LPGA Tour already.”

Thitikul, who closed with a 68, earned $345,000 for her victory, giving her $1,881,392 for the season. She extends her lead in the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year race over South Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi.

Thitikul’s rookie success shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, given how early she found the winner’s circle. In 2017, she became the youngest to ever win a professional tournament when she triumphed on home soil at the Ladies European Thailand Championship at 14 years, 4 months, and 19 days.

Last season, she won the Race to Costa del Sol, Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year honors at age 18, joining Dame Laura Davies, Carlota Ciganda and Esther Henseleit as the only players to win Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year in the same season.

“When you get the job done, and then you feel like release and then it’s just like yeah, the whole world that I had carry on my back, it’s like done,” said Thitikul. “They’re gone. And just know that what you have work is right and then, yeah, the hard work pays off as well.”

‘Tears of joy’: Danielle Kang comes up short in playoff not long after returning to LPGA following diagnosis of a tumor on her spine

“I’m just really proud that I’m even here.”

Nearly four months ago, Danielle Kang revealed at the U.S. Women’s Open she had a tumor on her spine. She took time off for testing and returned to action at the CP Women’s Open in late August, telling reporters that she’d rather keep the details of the process and her health within the team.

In only her third start back, Kang found herself in a playoff against hotshot rookie Atthaya Thitikul at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship. She came up short, with Thitikul making birdie on the second playoff hole to win for a second time this season.

Kang broke down in tears during her interview with Golf Channel.

“I’m just really proud that I’m even here,” she said. “Obviously I wanted to win, but these are like tears of joy.”

Kang, 29, holed out for eagle on the par-5 18th Sunday to take the clubhouse lead at 17 under with a closing 64. Thitikul answered moments later with an birdie on the 17th to pull herself into a tie with Kang. The 19-year-old Thai player couldn’t convert for birdie on the final hole, however, and they headed back to the par-3 15th for a sudden-death playoff.

Both Kang and Thitikul won early on in the 2022 season. Thitikul joins Jennifer Kupcho, Minjee Lee and Brooke Henderson as the only multiple winners on tour this season.

The 29-year-old Kang endured back pain for several months before finding out about the tumor in late April after she withdrew from the Palos Verdes Championship.

Kang said earlier in the week in Arkansas that her return has been more stressful that some might think.

“There are some random shots that just come out that I used to not hit,” she said. “It just really irks me the wrong way. I have to be patient. I threw my club once and there is no reason to throw it. I’m 5-under par. I just never used to do that.”

Ball-striking is something the two-time U.S. Women’s Amateur champion has always taken pride in, but Kang said she returned to action with less swing speed, noting that ball doesn’t stop as quickly as it used to.

She hoped to have some extra patience with herself on Sunday, telling her caddie that her goal was to finish at 17 under.

“Honestly, it’s been hell,” Kang said when it was over.

When asked where Sunday’s finish takes her for the rest of the season, Kang said it’s still going to be a process.

“It’s a struggle almost,” she said, “sometimes in the morning, but I came out here to do something that I love, and I’m just so happy for my team that somehow got me back playing this year.

“I mean, there was part of me that I didn’t think I would ever play again or contend, but here I am. I’m not that far off, and I’m happy about that.”

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Lilia Vu, searching for first LPGA victory, in striking distance at Walmart NW Arkansas Championship heading to final round

A year ago, Lilia Vu was playing on the other side of Arkansas.

A year ago, Lilia Vu was playing on the other side of Arkansas.

Then a member of the Epson Tour, she tied for second at the 2021 El Dorado Shootout, which included a final-round 4-under 68 to finish at 3 under for the week.

Vu is back in the Natural State this week, but she’s far from the place she was last year. Although the El Dorado Shootout is going on this weekend, Vu is in Rogers at Pinnacle Country Club, where she leads the 2022 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship with 18 holes to play looking for her first victory.

“It was never a matter of my game or skills that were lacking, I just wasn’t looking at golf in a healthy or positive way,” Vu said of the changes the past year. “Every shot was life or death. I feel like I figured it out last year, like I’m just going to go out there and have fun. I know how good I am.”

Vu, 24, considered giving up the game in 2019 after missing all but one cut on the LPGA and earning just over $3,000. Heading into Sunday’s final round, she’s playing arguably the best golf of her career and is again within striking distance.

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She fired consecutive rounds of 6-under 65 and sits at 12-under 130. Yet she and the field are chasing Attaya Thitikul, who had a round to remember on Saturday during the second round of the 54-hole event.

Thitikul recorded eight birdies, one eagle and no bogeys en route to a 10-under round of 61. She sits at 14 under and Yuka Saso by one and Lilia Vu by two. Saso also shot 6-under 65 and is at 13 under for the tournament.

The 10-under round for Thitikul ties the tournament record for lowest 18-hole score.

Vu is in the middle of stretch where she has improved her finish in four straight events. Two weeks ago in Portland, she finished tied for third at the AmazingCre Portland Classic. She was also tied for the lead with 18 holes left that week.

“I had a lot of fun today,” Vu said, “And I’m excited for tomorrow, too.”

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