“Ariya Jutanugarn” Puts on a World-Class Performance, Brings Home 1st LPGA Honda Trophy

The former world number 1 Ariya Jutanugarn brought home her first LPGA Honda trophy and the only trophy Thai golfers ever held since the tournament first played in 2006 with a total of 22-under par.

 

Ariya Jutanugarn, who had been trailing at from the 9th position into the final round of LPGA Honda in Chonburi, Thailand, with five strokes behind, showed a skill truly suit for the former world’s number 1 women golfer by making 9 birdies and no bogey on the final round to overtake top two leaders Atthaya Thitikul and Patty Tavatanakit.

 

Ariya Jutanugarn was a runner-up in this tournament in 2013, while her sister, Moriya Jutanugarn was also a runner-up in 2018. Both of the Jutanugarn sisters and other Thai golfers have never won the tournament.

 

Patty Tavatanakit was the leader entering the final round with 18-under par. However, two bogies in the 6th and 9th hole and a double bogey on the 12th hole dropped her ranking to T6.

 

After the suspension due to inclement weather and resumed on 16:00 local time in Thailand, Atthaya Thitikul who was only one stroke behind Ariya Jutanugarn missed her playoff chance by a small margin, failing to make a birdie on the 18th hole and finished the round with a total of 21-under par.

 

The 18-year old Atthaya Thitikul, turned professional just 15 months prior to this tournament, had put on a spectacular show for every viewers around the world after going toe-to-toe with her idol and the former world’s number 1 Ariya Jutanugarn.

 

Atthaya Thitikul (born 20 February 2003) is a Thai professional golfer who won the Ladies European Thailand Championship as an amateur on 9 July 2017. At the time of winning the tournament, Thitikul was only 14 years 4 months and 19 days old, which made her the youngest golfer ever to win a professional golf tournament