THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Home and hosed – Chonlada breaks her Thai duck

Home and hosed – Chonlada breaks her Thai duck

Hometown girl Chonlada Chayanun shrugged off a weather interruption to win her maiden Thai LPGA title by four shots in the fourth leg of the Bt1 million Singha-SAT Championship in Nakhon Ratchasima on Friday.


The 26-year-old shot a closing 69 to win on 13 under-par-203 –  but she was made to wait.
She was cruising to victory with a three-shot lead over Chorphaka Jaengkit with two holes to play when bad weather suspended play for almost two hours.
Both returned to bogey the 17th but Chonlada then regained her concentration and holed a 15-foot birdie putt at the last to clinch her first ever local victory.
“A load of pressure has gone now as I had never won in Thailand before,” said Chonlada, who had won two overseas events, including the CTBC Ladies Open in Taiwan last October. “Now I’m happy to finally get it done.”
She admitted that the pressure of wanting to make a breakthrough in her own country had bothered her at the start of the round as she dropped two shots in the first five holes.
“I was struggling at the front nine. I didn’t make easy putts. I was so nervous and couldn’t control myself,” she admitted. “Then after I saw other girls shoot scores and try to catch up, I pushed myself to play better. Four straight birdies [holes 12-15] really helped me regain my momentum and confidence,” added Chonlada, who is Bt142,500 richer for her success.
Chonlada’s goal is to play this season in Thailand, the Philippines and Taiwan but she was also considering adding events in Japan in accordance with advice from her mother.
Chorphaka was runner-up after finishing with a 67 to be on nine-under 207 for her three rounds. 
Amateur Chanoknan and Ornnicha Konsunthea were tied at third, each on 209.

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