2021 RACE TO COSTA DEL SOL WINNER AND LPGA ROOKIE ATTHAYA THITIKUL THRILLS IN PLAYOFF WITH NANNA KOERSTZ MADSEN
The final round at the JTBC Classic presented by Barbasol was one for the books. LPGA Tour rookie Atthaya Thitikul entered Sunday six shots back of leader Nanna Koerstz Madsen and fired the round of the week – an 8-under, 64 with just 24 putts – to post at -16 and hold the clubhouse lead with four groups left to play. Koerstz Madsen came to the 18th with a one-shot lead, needing a par to earn her second title in as many starts, but a three-putt dashed those hopes, sending her back to the tee to duke it out with the Thai.
A wayward drive on the second playoff hole led to a second shot in the water for the Dane, opening the door for Thitikul to become a Rolex First-Time winner in her fifth start as a Member of the LPGA. Atthaya is no stranger to success – she won the 2021 Race to Costa del Sol, Rookie of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year on the Ladies European Tour – but was still feeling nervy in the playoff with so much on the line.
“I would say it’s a lot of things going through my head, but one thing that I really wanted to focus on is just do your best every single shot,” said the 2022 JTBC Classic champion. “If you lose, if you win, this is another chance to learn. So do your best every single shot. Everyone comes here and they want to win. I want to win as well but didn’t expect that it was going to come really fast. It’s crazy in my mind right now. I cannot believe that I became an LPGA winner. It feels amazing.”
With the win, Thitikul moves to fourth in the Race to the CME Globe with 734.75 points and becomes the sixth player from Thailand to win on the LPGA Tour. Her friend and fellow Thai winner Pajaree Anannarukarn stuck around to see the win just as Atthaya did for her when Anannarukarn won last year’s ISPS Handa World Invitational and their relationship means a lot to the young rookie, as does the support of her team, her family and her friends, making this victory even more special.
“I was there when she got her first win in Ireland, and she was here when I got my first win as well so it’s really special that I have her here because we are pretty close to each other,” said Thitikul. “It means the world to me, to our team as well. I know my parents are watching back at home. They supporting me since day one, and then my manager is here, my coach, caddie. I know that they’re trying to find something the best for me every single tournament, every single day to make me better. My friends and my fans back in Thailand and here as well that support me, it means a lot to us.”
After an unfortunate second shot into the water on the second playoff hole with her feet on the cart path, Koerstz Madsen ultimately finished solo second in the JTBC Classic. While the ending was a touch disappointing, the 27-year-old isn’t being too hard on herself, instead choosing to focus on the positives derived from her win at the Honda LPGA Thailand and her second place at Aviara Golf Club as she heads up the road to the Chevron Championship. “I’m very proud,” she said. “I played really good week all week; had four rounds under par. It feels good doing that after a win.”
Korean rookie Na Rin An posted at -15 after a final round 68 that saw five birdies on the card.
A trio of players finished in a tie for fourth at -14 including Anannarukarn, Epson Tour graduate Maude-Aimee Leblanc and Rolex Rankings No. 1 Jin Young Ko who extended her streak of rounds under par to 34 after a final round 68. England’s Charley Hull carded a solo seventh while defending champion Inbee Park and UCLA alum Lilia Vu finished T8. LPGA Tour winner Amy Yang and Northern Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow finished out in a tie for 10th.
PLAYER NOTES
Rolex Rankings No. 14 Atthaya Thitikul (69-70-69-64)
- She hit 9 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens, with 24 putts
- Thitikul’s fourth-round 64 ties her lowest 18-hole score on the LPGA Tour; she last recorded it in the first round of the 2021 Honda LPGA Thailand
- Thitikul becomes the third Rolex First-Time Winner of 2022, following Leona Maguire (LPGA Drive On Championship) and Nanna Koerstz Madsen (Honda LPGA Thailand)
- At 19 years and 25 days, Thitikul is the youngest winner on the LPGA Tour since Brooke Henderson won the 2016 Cambia Portland Classic at 18 years, 9 months and 23 days
- The last 19-year-old before Thitikul to win on Tour was Yuka Saso at the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open presented by ProMedica (19 years, 11 months, 21 days)
- With the win, Thitikul becomes the sixth Thai winner on the LPGA Tour
- In 2021, Thitkul won the Race to Costa del Sol, Rookie of the Year, and Player of the Year honors; joined Dame Laura Davies, Carlota Ciganda and Esther Henseleit as the only players to win the Race to Costa del Sol and Rookie of the Year in the same year
- She was the youngest-ever winner of the Race to Costa del Sol at 18 years, 9 months and 8 days
- Thitikul won the 2017 Ladies European Thailand Championship at 14 years, 4 months, and 19 days making her the youngest person ever to win a professional tournament
- She also won the 2019 Ladies European Thailand Championship as an amateur
- Also known by her nickname “Jeeno”
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