Thai teen Patty grabs maiden title two months after turning pro
Thai teenager Paphangkorn "Patty" Tavatanakit claimed her maiden title on the Symetra Tour -- the official qualifying tour of the LPGA -- following a three-shot victory over Ssu-Chia Cheng of Taiwan in the Donald Ross Golf Classic at French Lick Resort in Indiana on Saturday.
The Nation
The 19-year-old University of California, Los Angeles sophomore, who turned professional only in May, carded a final-round 64 for a three-day total of 13-under-par 200 at the par-71 6,491-yard landscape.
“I’m a bit happy but then another part of me says ‘you have two more weeks [of competition] ahead of you. So just don’t get ahead of yourself’,” said Patty. “I’m happy with how I played and how I controlled myself this week. But I’m looking forward to the next two weeks and try to improve and be the best player I can be.”
The teenager collected US$33,750 for her victory and has earned $48,871 after playing three events as a pro. She posted three top-10 finishes in all three Symetra Tour events, including a runner-up spot in the Prasco Charity Championship.
The 2016 American Junior Golf Association Player of the Year winner will next enter two Symetra Tour stops in New York -- the Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic in Rochester from July 18-21 and the CDPHP Open in Albany from July 26-28.