Tag: Honda LPGA Thailand

Former World No. 1 Jin Young Ko set to return to LPGA competition next month in Thailand

Jin Young Ko plans to return Feb. 23-26 at the Honda LPGA Thailand tournament, her manager has confirmed to Golfweek.

Jin Young Ko plans to return to LPGA competition Feb. 23-26 at the Honda LPGA Thailand tournament, her manager has confirmed to Golfweek. The former World No. 1 is currently in Vietnam for winter training after reuniting with instructor Siwoo Lee.

Ko withdrew from the field at the season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions due to a wrist injury that plagued her at the end of last season. She is currently taking part in light training in Vietnam as she eases back into competition form. She will remain there until early February.

A 13-time winner, Ko last won on the LPGA at the 2022 HSBC Women’s Champions. She will return to Singapore to defend in early March.

At last year’s season-ending CME Group Tour Championship, Ko said she felt pain in her left wrist from the moment she touched the club on every shot. She withdrew from the BMW Ladies Championship in October after shocking rounds of 80-79 when the pain was at its worst.

Ko’s doctor has advised her to refrain from any strenuous activities.

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Danielle Kang records 14th career ace at Honda LPGA Thailand but doesn’t win a car

“It was very misleading to have a car on the hole,” said Kang, “because we all thought I won that car.”

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There was a car perched on the eighth tee at the Honda LPGA Thailand but Danielle Kang didn’t win it – despite making an ace. Kang struck the perfect 9-iron from 132 yards and watched it drop in the cup for her 14th career ace.

“It was very misleading to have a car on the hole,” said Kang, “because we all thought I won that car.”

The hole-in-one prize, it turns out, was reserved for the 16th hole.

Kang said some fans sent her video of her ace as it wasn’t captured on television cameras.

“It’s actually a streak now that Golf Channel has missed – or like whoever is airing – has missed my hole-in-one,” said Kang, “so no one has actually seen it live, and this is my 14th hole in one.”

More: Late eagle gives Nanna Koerstz Madsen piece of LPGA history

Honda LPGA Thailand
Minjee Lee of Australia tees off on the 8th hole during the third round of Honda LPGA Thailand at Siam Country Club Pattaya Old Course on March 12, 2022 in Pattaya, Thailand. (Photo by Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty Images)

Kang said she’d been hitting the ball “phenomenally” the past four days but that her short came hadn’t been as she’d like it.

She was actually thinking that she was due for a hole-out when she stepped onto the eighth tee, saying to herself might as well do it here.

“And then I saw it tracking and then I went, ‘No way,’ ” said Kang. “It landed and I was like, ‘No way.’ Because normally sometimes it sits. It’s soft out here. I was like, wait a second, it’s actually rolling. And I went, ‘No way,’ and it went in and everyone screamed.

“We had a huge crowd. Hometown kind of favorite, Atthaya (Thitikul) was playing with us. It was really cool.”

Kang tied for eighth in Thailand after a closing 66. CME Group will donate $20,000 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for the ace.

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Nanna Koerstz Madsen eagles second playoff hole at Honda LPGA Thailand, becomes first tour winner from Denmark

Koerstz Madsen began the final round with an eagle and ended her day the same way.

Nanna Koerstz Madsen began the final round in Thailand with an eagle and ended her day the same way, draining a 10-foot putt on the second playoff hole against Xiyu “Janet” Lin, to secure her first LPGA title. Koerstz Madsen became the first player from Denmark to win on tour.

“It’s amazing. It’s a dream come true,” said Koerstz Madsen, who along with Lin set a new scoring record of 26-under 262 at the Honda LPGA Thailand.

China’s Lin, who was also looking for her first LPGA title, birdied her last two holes in regulation as well as the two playoff holes. Lin closed with a 6-under 66 on the steamy Old Course at Siam Country Club.

“I’m very proud,” said Lin. “Sometimes it’s just weird. You shot 26 under and then cannot win a tournament. But that’s my lowest ever shot in a tournament week, and like four days of very solid golf. Like I’m going to take a lot from this.”

Nanna Koerstz Madsen of Denmark gives the golf club to her caddie after her second shot on play-off at 18th hole during the final round of Honda LPGA Thailand at Siam Country Club Pattaya Old Course on March 13, 2022 in Pattaya, Thailand. (Photo by Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty Images)

Koerstz Madsen, whose fiancé Nicki Hansen caddies for her on tour, caught a flier on the par-5 18th hole in regulation that led to a closing bogey. She rebounded by playing the two playoff holes in three under. Koerstz Madsen is known for sometimes carrying lemons in her golf bag that she sucks on to help keep her calm and focused.

Last year at the AIG Women’s British Open, Koerstz Madsen came into the 72nd hole tied with Anna Nordqvist but suffered a heart-breaking double-bogey on the taxing 18th that included a shocking shank from a green-side bunker.

That now seems a distant memory.

Koerstz Madsen, 27, joins Leona Maguire as the only first-time winners thus far in 2022. Both competed on the victorious European Solheim Cup team at Inverness in 2021. Koerstz Madsen won three times on the Epson Tour in 2017 to earn a “Battlefield Promotion” to the LPGA.

“I mean, Janet, she really fought,” said Koerstz Madsen. “She finished up birdie-birdie, so she played amazing, too. Yes, I’m not going to lie, I was a little nervous there.”

Celine Boutier finished one shot out of the playoff in third at 25 under. Amy Yang, a three-time winner of this event, tied for fourth with Brooke Henderson at 23 under.

Yuka Saso, the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open champion, made a final-round push with a career-low 10-under 62 that included eight birdies and a pitch-in for eagle from 30 yards on the par-4 15th. Saso’s round tied the tournament low set by Jessica Korda in 2018.

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Nasa Hataoka hit every green and every fairway in opening 63 to co-lead Honda LPGA Thailand

A five-time winner on the LPGA, Hataoka most recently claimed the 2021 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.

Historically speaking, Thailand has not been good to Nasa Hataoka. In three previous appearances at the Honda LPGA Thailand, her best finish is a tie for 31st in 2021.

A wiser Hataoka, however, put together one of three 63s in a scorching-hot opening round to take a share of the lead with Australia’s Su Oh and Esther Henseleit of Germany.

The ninth-ranked Hataoka hit all 14 fairways and 18 greens in her flawless lap around the Old Course.

“(This is the) first time we know the golf course, so I know the bad position and good position,” said Hataoka, whose previous best round on the Old Course was a second-round 67 in 2021. “I missed the bad position, so that’s why I play really good today.”

A five-time winner on the LPGA, Hataoka most recently claimed the 2021 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.

LPGA Thailand: Leaderboard

Oh chipped in for birdie on the sixth hole and rolled in a 4-footer to save par on the 18th hole to card a career-best 9 under. The 63rd-ranked Aussie hasn’t had much luck in Thailand previously either. In four past appearances, her best finish is a tie for 54th in 2017.

Meanwhile Henseleit is making her debut this week in Thailand. The two-time LET winner called it stress-free golf.

“I just didn’t make any big mistakes, I think,” she said. “My irons were good.”

Celine Boutier’s parents, Christopher and Jacqueline, moved to France from Thailand, and she has extended family out watching her this week.

The former Duke star sits two shots back along with Jennifer Kupcho, Brooke Henderson, Alison Lee, Lindsey Weaver-Wright and Nanna Koerstz Madsen.

Last year’s Honda Thailand champion, former No. 1 Ariya Jutanugarn, struggled to an opening 74.

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Six Thai players to watch at Honda LPGA Thailand, including a world-class rookie

A total of 10 players from Thailand are in the field this week. Here’s a closer look at some of the host nation’s best.

As the Honda LPGA Thailand celebrates its 15th year, golf in Thailand has never been so robust. Last year Ariya Jutanugarn became the first Thai player to win the event, fitting given that she was the first Thai to win on the LPGA and rise to No. 1.

Incredibly, Thai players finished 1-2-3 last year with LPGA rookie Atthaya Thitikul placing second and last year’s Chevron winner, Patty Tavatanakit coming in third.

This marks the 10th time the Honda Thailand will be contested on the Pattaya Old Course at Siam Country Club.

A total of 10 players from Thailand are in the field: Jaravee Boonchant (Bangkok), Ariya Jutanugarn (Bangkok), Moriya Jutanugarn (Bangkok), Wichanee Meechai (Bangkok), Jasmine Suwannapura (Bangkok), Rina Tatematsu (Bangkok), Patty Tavatanakit (Bangkok), Prima Thammaraks (Bangkok), Atthaya Thitikul (Ratchaburi) and Chanettee Wannasaen (Chiang Mai).

Here’s a closer look at some of the host nation’s best:

Rising superstar Patty Tavatanakit jumps out to three-shot lead at Honda Thailand LPGA

No Thai player has ever won the Honda Thailand LPGA event. Patty Tavatanakit is looking to become the first.

No Thai player has ever won the Honda Thailand LPGA event. Thailand’s newest superstar, Patty Tavatanakit, looks to become the first as she leads by three after a second consecutive 8-under 64. But she’s hardly alone in the quest. Atthaya Thitikul, an 18-year-old Thai pro who has won twice on the Ladies European Tour, sits alone in second after a 5-under 67.

Tavatanakit’s 16-under total ties the event’s 36-hole scoring record, last achieved by Jessica Korda in her 2018 victory at Siam Country Club. The powerful Thai player reached the closing 471-yard par-5 in two and drained a 12-foot putt for eagle.

“Didn’t really hit a good drive off 18 and then just kind of forgot about it, don’t let it bother me and move on to the second shot,” said Tavatanakit, “which was pretty good, actually. It was 246 to the hole and probably like 210 to the front, so I was just trying to hit the front number … just the perfect shot.”

Germany’s Caroline Masson sits alone in third at 12 under after a second consecutive 66. Gaby Lopez, Lydia Ko and Nanna Koerstz Madsen are tied for fourth at 11 under.

Thitikul, who is playing on a sponsor invite, recorded her third eagle of the week on the par-5 seventh.

“I’m really surprised with that eagle,” said Thitikul. “When I was going to putt I feel like … two days with three eagles. Can I or not?”

Playing alongside Thitikul feels deeply familiar for Tavatanakit given how often they played together on the Thai national team, especially at Siam Country Club.

“She is an amazing player,” asid Tavatanakit. “Like just watching her play just makes me so proud of like younger Thai players that they’re building themselves, their game, to reach the highest level they can be.”

Ariya Jutanugarn, the first Thai player to ever win on the LPGA and reach No. 1 in the world, sits six shots back in a share of seventh. After last week’s tie for third in Singapore, Tavatanki moved to No. 12 in the world and is the highest-ranked Thai player. The former UCLA Bruin said she’s feeling pretty light mentally heading into the weekend.

“You know, yesterday was probably a perfect day of ball-striking,” she said, “but today wasn’t. Just goes to show that no matter how not perfect you are, you can still manage to get yourself together around the course to shoot low scores.”

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Patty Tavatanakit and 18-year-old Atthaya Thitikul lead home game in Thailand after opening 64s

Thailand’s best put on a spectacular show in the opening round of the Honda LPGA Thailand in Chonburi.

Even though fans weren’t there to see it, Thailand’s best put on a spectacular show in the opening round of the Honda LPGA Thailand in Chonburi.

Major champion Patty Tavatanakit returned home for the first time since before the pandemic and poured in nine birdies en route to 8-under 64, while her 18-year-old compatriot, Atthaya Thitikul, matched the effort on the strength of two eagles.

Former No. 1 Ariya Jutanugarn, the first Thai player to win a major, sits in a share of third at 7 under with Nanna Koerstz Madsen. Amy Yang, a three-time winner of this event, opened with a 69.

“I hit it good and I left myself in really good position just on the green,” said Tavatanakit, how the highest-ranked Thai player at No. 12. “I feel like made some mistakes here and there, but I was able to recover and just walk out of the hole with a lot of pars when it wasn’t birdie.”

Tavatanakit took a share of third last week in Singapore and said that while she’s home for the first time in a long time, the COVID-19 protocols still make it difficult.

“I want to see my family, I want to see my friends,” she said. “I haven’t seen my best friend for two years. It’s just still tough time. I just feel like that, little bit kind of looked at it in a different perspective. Like I’m here to work, not here on vacation.”

Thitikul, 18, first played in the Honda LPGA Thailand three days after her 14th birthday back in 2017 when she finished 37th. She’d go on to become the youngest player to ever win a professional tournament at 14 years, 4 months and 19 days when she claimed the Ladies European Tour’s Ladies European Thailand Championship by five strokes. She won the event again at age 16 as an amateur in 2019.

Thitikul turned professional in January of 2020 and finished T-4 at the NSW Women’s Open in Australia. She returned home to Thailand after the COVID-19 pandemic struck and won five times on the Thai LPGA Tour, securing the Order of Merit title. She called Thursday’s opening round “amazing.”

No Thai player has ever won the Honda LPGA Thailand event, though many got their start here.

“I think it means a lot to me and to all the Thai players,” said Thitikul. “This is the biggest women’s tournament in Thailand.”

Jutanugarn, a two-time major champion who became the youngest player to ever qualify for an LPGA event at age 11 when she played in Thailand, nearly won this event in 2013 when she led by two strokes going into the final hole. Jutanugarn ultimately tripled the 18th and lost by a shot to Inbee Park.

Jutanugarn’s most recent LPGA victory, her career 10th, came in July 2018. The strong play of the young Thai players she helped to inspire now serves as added motivation.

“Every time I watch (Patty) play I feel so impressed,” said Jutanugarn. “And Atthaya, she’s really young and how she handles all the pressure and how she’s been playing so well is so inspiring.”