FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Pajaree to strut her stuff in Ladies European Thailand

Pajaree to strut her stuff in Ladies European Thailand

Local players including the newly turned professional Pajaree Anannarukarn will have a unique opportunity to qualify for the Ladies European Tour when the inaugural Ladies European Thailand Championship tees off next Thursday at Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club in Chonburi.

The tournament which offers a total prize money of 300,000 euros, will award a two-year membership of the LET for the winner compete full-time on the global circuit.

The 18-year-old who just put behind her amateur status last week will test her mettle against star players such as Briton Florentyna Parker who just won the last LET event in Spain 2008 order of merit winner Gwladys Nocera of France and Malloca-based Nuria Iturrios, winner of the 2016 Lalla Meryem Cup.

“This will be a great opportunity for me to learn how the LET pros play in my first international event as a pro. I need to get my game shape up before I enter the first Qualifying Stage for the LPGA in August,” said the promising teenager who when she was an amateur earlier this year won two titles in the Singha Masters in Chiangrai and a Thai LPGA event in Nakhon Nayok. She denied having pressure when she had to settled at tied 22nd in the Thai LPGA event in Hua Hin last week.

“The feeling is still the same playing as amateur or pro. I just made a wrong decision in the final round by going for my shots too much. There was no pressure at all,” said Pajaree who used to be encamped at the Phoenix Gold last year as the national player.

“The Phoenix Gold is different from other courses. It’s not a long course with firm greens and narrow fairways. You need to have a good game plan to shoot scores there,” added the rising star.
 The Thailand Ladies European event will allow locals to follow the footsteps of the former world No 1 Ariya Jutanugarn, through Lalla Aicha Tour School at the end of the year.

At the age of 17, Jutanugarn won the Lalla Aicha Tour School Final Stage in Morocco in December 2012, before going on to claim her first tournament victory at the Lalla Meryem Cup three months later. 

With a return to Thailand for the first time in 12 years, the LET will continue to contribute to the development of women's golf and to help talented Thai golfers to follow the pathway to achieve their dreams on a global platform.

Ladies European Tour CEO Ivan Khodabakhsh believes that staging the Ladies European Thailand Championship,in partnership with the Thai LPGA will create a considerable impact and opportunity for the Thai players.

He said: "The LET is committed to developing the game in the regions we visit and I am confident that the Ladies European Thailand Championship will deliver a strong platform to inspire children and young people to participate in the sport.”

The LET has already made a considerable impact to the Asian golf industry and the development of women's golf through its long-standing events in China and India. The Ladies European Thailand Championship will further stimulate the growth of the women's game by giving local young players the opportunity to test themselves against strong international competition.
 
 
 

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