A cyclone named Albane Valenzuela, hailing from the very non-cyclonic Switzerland, came very close to ruining the party for Patty Tavatanakit, the reigning queen of women’s golf over the past 15 days.
However, the Thai player, who wept like a baby as soon as she sank the last putt on hole 18, managed to withstand the onslaught and took silver for the second time in two weeks. Today’s victory, if possible, is even more special, as it was at her home, at the Honda LPGA Thailand. Last week she triumphed at the Aramco Saudi Ladies International of the Ladies European Tour.
Tavatanakit has once again given a lesson on how to close a tournament. This 24-year-old golfer’s success is no longer a coincidence. It’s truly impressive how she handles the situation when she leads in the final round of a tournament. She did it in Arabia eight days ago, she did it at the ANA Inspiration (major) in 2021 and she has done it again today. She rules with an iron hand when she is in the first position. It’s an art and she has it.
In fact, by the time she reached hole 10, she had already closed all doors to her rivals (or so it seemed). She started with two birdies on holes 1 and 2, made another one on 7 and finished her performance with a fourth on 10. With eight holes left, she was four strokes ahead, cheered on by an excited crowd and showing signs that she was not going to give in to anything or anyone.
But, lo and behold, suddenly, almost out of nowhere, a surprise guest emerged at Tavatanakit’s party. Valenzuela stepped onto the tee of 11 six strokes behind Patty. In reality, at that moment, she was fighting to finish in the top 5 of the tournament. But then she started a show. She made six birdies in the last eight holes, five in the last six and put the local favourite on the ropes. The Old course at the Siam Country Club in Chonburi fell silent and turned white with a bogey from its star on hole 15, the only one of the day. Her mistake almost coincided with Albane’s birdie on 17 and suddenly the tournament was tied at -19.
It is here, in this situation, that all the credit in the world must be given to Tavatanakit. Just when a tournament she had won could slip through her fingers, in front of her audience, with all the emotion that entails, her reaction was that of a great champion. She made a birdie on 16 to tie again at the top, as Valenzuela finished with a birdie on 18, and finished the job with a new birdie on the last hole to win the tournament by one. A spectacular display of composure. The procession was inside and that’s why she ended up in tears.
Watch out for Tavatanakit’s last 15 days:
– Two victories
– Accumulated score in eight rounds: -39
– Birdies/eagles in 144 holes: 45
– Bogeys in 144 holes: 8
– Greens in regulation in 144 holes: 120
– Average strokes in these eight rounds: 67.12
It’s her second victory on the LPGA Tour and the third on the major circuits.
Three strokes behind the winner, sharing third place, were the Koreans Sei Young Kim and Hye Jin Choi, while fifth place went to Natthakritta Vongtaveelap, who is still close to victory after finishing second last year, and Hyo Joo Kim, the best representative of the top 10 in the world this week. Also, the final reaction of Lilia Vu, World Number One, to finish in seventh position with a final round of 65 strokes should be highlighted.
The Spanish Azahara Muñoz (PAR) has not had her best week. It hasn’t been a disaster, but she has lacked birdies, been more accurate on the greens. She hasn’t felt comfortable with the grass in Thailand. She finished this Sunday with a card of 73 strokes, with three birdies and four bogeys. 68th place.
