Thailand’s Trichat Cheenglab secured the 2023 Race to Costa del Sol title and Rookie of the Year at the LET’s season finale – the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España.
After a full season on the LET, the Race to Costa del Sol title was decided at the final event in Spain with Cheenglab battling alongside Celine Boutier, Diksha Dagar, Johanna Gustavsson, Alexandra Försterling and Ana Peláez Trivino for the number one spot at the end of 2023.
In a nail-biting finale, it was Cheenglab who came out on top and clinched the title accumulating 1,966.52 points from 24 events and ultimately finishing 90.64 points ahead of Boutier who was second with Dagar a further 50.77 points behind in third place.
“I was very excited since the start of the final tournament,” she said. “I kept watching the live scores to see what was happening, but now I feel more relieved!
“It was great to have been able to play in the Costa del Sol region for the season finale and I would like to thank the Costa del Sol Tourist Board for their support.”
As well as clinching the Race to Costa del Sol, Cheenglab also won Rookie of the Year beating Försterling by 378.43 points, and in doing so became the sixth player to win both titles in the same season following in the footsteps of Dame Laura Davies, Carlota Ciganda, Esther Henseleit, Atthaya Thitikul and Linn Grant.
The 28-year-old decided to try to play on the LET after watching Thitikul win both titles in 2021, so came to Q-School in December 2022 and secured her full LET card with fifth place at the Final Qualifier.
Cheenglab secured her first top-10 finish of the season in the Individual event at the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF – Singapore and her form really kicked in over the summer months.
The Thai star was the runner-up at the Tipsport Czech Ladies Open before finishing T5 at the La Sella Open and a few weeks later she captured her maiden LET title at the Big Green Egg Open.
Over the past couple of months of the season, Cheenglab continued her consistency with a T6 finish in Hong Kong, a T4 finish in Riyadh and second place at the Mallorca Ladies Open.
And thanks to her excellent form throughout the season, the Thai star has risen from 728 to 90 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings
“This week I just tried to make more birdies for myself, but it wasn’t going so well,” she explained. “However, I’m really happy for myself for the whole season and I have worked really hard.
“I want to thank my family for cheering me up. It’s not just about my family, but my friend and all of the team who are behind me – my coach, my fitness coach, everyone!
“At first to win the Rookie of the Year was the goal, but now I’m stood here with two prizes in my hands and I’m very happy for that.”
The General Manager of the Costa del Sol Tourist Board, Antonio Diaz, congratulated Trichat Cheenglab on her triumph as the winner of the Race to Costa del Sol, the culmination of the Ladies European Tour annual schedule, and presented her with the trophy.
“This partnership with the LET, and the involvement of the destination in the different international events of the order of merit of the Ladies European Tour is extremely rewarding,” he said.
“It is also a clear indication of our support of women’s golf, both at a professional, and amateur level. The Race to Costa del Sol guarantees extensive television and media coverage in markets of particular interest to our destination, which have a high percentage of women golfers, such as Germany, Switzerland, France, U.S.A., Canada, Asia.
“The Costa del Sol Tourist Board has, for many years, promoted the Costa del Golf as the ideal golfing destination and we shall continue to do so. Together with the golf industry, we provide personalised service, carefully adapted to each visitor’s needs, ensuring the perfect holiday experience, at any time of the year.”
He added: “The Costa del Sol has no doubt that the promotion of women’s golf is especially important, given that it is often the lady golfer who spends more in destination, appreciating, and enjoying to the full, all the different attractions that Costa del Sol provides.”
Alexandra Armas, Ladies European Tour CEO, said: “The 2023 Race to Costa del Sol has seen a great battle on the golf course with it going to the wire at the season finale on the Costa del Sol. Six players had the opportunity to win the title which shows the strength of competition this season.
“Many congratulations to Trichat on clinching the 2023 Race to Costa del Sol and Rookie of the Year titles, she is a deserving winner, and we are delighted to present her with the awards. It takes grit and determination to succeed in your rookie season while being a long way from home, Trichat decided to come to the LET after seeing Atthaya Thitikul win both titles in 2021.
“She has had a great season on Tour winning in the Netherlands and also climbing into the top 100 in the Rolex Rankings and this title is further reward for the hard work she has put in to become a champion. I would like to thank the Costa del Sol Tourist Board for their unwavering support.”
For more news and information on the Race to Costa del Sol, check out the full final rankings HERE.
