Sisters Moriya and Ariya in search of LPGA title

.World No 5 Ariya and her elder sister Moriya, No 23, have been in contrasting form in recent months. Former world No 1 Ariya has barely made the cut in her last eight events while Moriya has enjoyed her best season with two top-three finishes in recent tournaments.
“I haven’t been in great form recently but I’m trying to get back to my best level quickly. I will try to win my next tournament as soon as possible,” said six-time LPGA winner Ariya, during the press conference for the 2018 Honda LPGA which will take place from February 22-25 at the Siam Country Club Pattaya, Old Course.

Since winning the LPGA Manu Life Classic in Canada, which propelled her to world No 1 in June, the 21-year-old Ariya has lost momentum and confidence, partly because of a shoulder injury. She managed to make only two cuts in her last eight events, which saw her ranking drop to fifth.
“To be honest, I’m not so concerned about the ranking because it is something beyond my control. I’m more concerned with what I can control, and that is to keep working on my routine until I can regain my top form,” added Ariya, who played her first LPGA event in the Honda LPGA when she was just 11 years old in 2007.

Since being named Rookie of the Year in 2013, this has been the most outstanding year for 23-year-old Moriya, who has come close to winning her first LPGA title several times in the past few months. Two weeks ago, she started the final round of the Evian Championship as the leader only to come short in the end, tying for third in the year’s fifth Major. “I haven’t changed anything much, to be frank. 
I just stick with the routine by playing consistently, but it could be that I have been more consistent than ever before this year,” said Moriya, who is sporting a new short haircut. She donated the cut tresses for cancer victims.
“My goal will be to win my first LPGA title. I feel that I’m getting there,” added Moriya, who will join her sister in five Asian tournaments – in Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan and China before their last event in Florida in November. At the US$1.6-million Honda LPGA next year, the Jutanugarn siblings will lead the local challenge against the top 60 players from the Money Leader rankings plus 10 sponsor invites.
Pitak Pruittisarikorn of Honda Automobile (Thailand) said the tournament – first organised in 2006 – has served as a springboard for Thai players seeking a career on the LPGA. 
“We have seen great results over the past 12 years ago. When we started, there were no Thai players on the LPGA tour and now we have 14 players on the world’s best tour,” Pitak said.

Channel 9 MCOT HD and Digital TV Channel 30 will cover the tournament for the first time, taking over from Channel 7. More than 200 hours of live telecast will be beamed across some 150 territories, reaching more than 550 million households. The tournament is aligning with MCOT, which will take over as the official host broadcaster of the event and make it accessible to all Thai viewers.