Atthaya, 19, holds her nerve in playoff to win first LPGA title
Thai golfer Atthaya Thitikul won her first LPGA Tour title at the JTBC Classic on Sunday in Carlsbad, southern California, by three-putting for a bogey on the second hole of a playoff with Nanna Koerstz Madsen from Denmark.
“It's just crazy in my mind right now," Thitikul said. "I cannot believe that I have become an LPGA winner. It feels amazing as well."
After Koerstz Madsen's 15-foot bogey putt hit the edge of the cup and stayed out, Thitikul rolled her 10-foot par try close and holed out for the victory.
"A lot things were going through my head," Thitikul said. "But the one thing that I really wanted to focus was like just, ‘Do your every single shot’. Just like, ‘If you lose, if you win, this is another chance to learn. So do your best every single shot’. That's it."
At 19 years, 25 days, Thitikul is the youngest winner on the LPGA Tour since Brooke Henderson from Canada in the 2016 Portland Classic at 18 years, 9 months, 23 days. The Thai player also has two victories on the Ladies European Tour.
Meanwhile, Koerstz Madsen lost two weeks after winning a playoff in Thailand to become the first Danish champion in LPGA Tour history.
They matched pars on the first extra trip down 18, with Thitikul missing an 8-foot birdie try. Koerstz Madsen drove left on the second playoff hole and hit her second from an awkward stance near the cart part into the greenside water.
"It's a hard shot," Koerstz Madsen said. "It's a hybrid from the rough — not a very good lie, above the feet. I just tried not to pull it too much from that lie, and then obviously I did not pull it. I pushed it quite a lot."
Thitikul shot an 8-under 64, making nine birdies and a bogey to post a 16-under 272 at Aviara Golf Club in the final event before the first major of the season next week at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage.
Koerstz Madsen, three strokes ahead of Na Rin An and six in front of Thitikul entering the round, had a 70. She took the lead with a birdie on the par-5 17th, then bogeyed 18 to fall into the playoff.
"It wasn't a very good playoff," Koerstz Madsen said. "I played a good week and I'm happy with the game. I could, maybe, have done a little better today, but it was what I could do."
An was third at 15 under after a 68.
"I think I played well overall, but there were some parts that were a bit disappointing," An said. "With a major tournament next week, I want to focus on my game even more."
Another Thai, Pajaree Anannarukarn (68) was 14-under and tied for fourth with top-ranked Jin Young Ko (68) and Maude-Aimee Leblanc (68).
