Atthaya Thitikul has been a rising star in the world of golf for many years and at the age of just 18 clinched her third LET title at the Tipsport Czech Ladies Open.
The teenager introduced herself to international fans back in 2017 when she became the youngest ever female golfer to win a professional golf tournament.
At the age of just 14 years, four months, and 19 days, she secured victory in the LET’s Ladies European Thailand Championship at Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club.
Two years later, Thitikul returned to the same tournament and carded rounds of 69, 67, 63 and 67 for a winning total of 22-under-par to secure victory by five strokes.
This achievement mean that aged 16 years, four months and three days, Thitikul became the youngest golfer to win two LET titles.
After deciding to turn professional, the Thai star claimed a T4 finish at the 2020 Women’s NSW Open in her only LET appearance that season.
2021 had seen Thitikul start in good form with a second-place finish at the Honda LPGA Thailand, carding rounds of 64, 67, 68, 68 to end the tournament one stroke adrift of winner and compatriot Ariya Jutanugarn.
The 18-year-old began her 2021 LET season at the Jabra Ladies Open, where she finished T6 for the week and followed that up with T65 at the Scandinavian Mixed.
But the sensational Thitikul finally sealed her first victory on the LET as a professional by producing a stunning final round of 65 at the Tipsport Czech Ladies Open to win by one stroke.
Speaking after her triumph, she said: “It feels so amazing! It feels so great to be able to win here. It means a lot to me, and it is my first win outside of my country. It is special to me; I came close on so many tournaments and finally I did it. I’m so proud that I can represent my country and show that Thai players can win LET tournaments.”
Thitikul got off to a difficult start in her final round, dropping two shots on her opening four holes but she soon bounced back with three consecutive birdies.
After rolling in another birdie on the ninth to make the turn in 34, she followed that up with two more birdies on 10 and 11 before making another three birdies in her final four holes – including at the last.
“Hole 18 is a par-five and as a player you want to make a birdie there so I’m lucky that I played the second shot to the green. I was aggressive to the pin and that is why I was able to make it,” she explained.
“I struggled with finishing second in so many tournaments and I got a lot of experience when I was in the final group at Jabra. Every tournament teaches me you don’t have to think that much about the result or the outcome. Just play your best, do your best out there and enjoy every moment on the golf course because you cannot experience the same moment again.”
