Pattaya, Chonburi, Thailand, May 10, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Ariya Jutanugarn became the first Thai woman to win the Honda LPGA Thailand 2021 today. After a dramatic finish on the Old Course at Siam Country Club Pattaya, Ariya secured the victory by one stroke after former amateur champion Atthaya Thitikul missed a birdie putt on the 18th hole, forcing a playoff.

For former world number one Ariya, the victory was a long-awaited success. She first played the course at the age of eleven and came close to winning in 2016. She finished the day with a 63 (nine under par) and a total score of 22 under par. Atthaya was one stroke behind overall and shot a 68 (four under par) today.

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Ariya receives a prize of US$240,000 or 7.5 million Thai baht, while Atthaya receives US$148,877 or 4.8 million Thai baht for her second place.

“I’ve waited so long for this,” said a visibly moved Ariya after her victory. “I gave it my all and played a very good shot both from the tee and from the second shot to the green.”

Ariya said the game being interrupted by the storm wasn't easy. "It was pretty tough, especially when the game was stopped; I was just totally motivated; I really wanted to know the result."

Ariya had her sister with her and told her she thought it would go to a playoff. “I kept telling her I thought I was going to a playoff. She just said it didn’t matter, she was always proud of me. I really wanted to see how she (Atthaya) played the last hole, but my caddie stopped me.”

"I'm so proud of myself and incredibly happy to be here. This victory means the world to me because, after 2013, winning in Thailand was one of my biggest dreams, and I've done it. Thank you so much to all the fans who supported me so amazingly. This victory is for you. Thank you!"

Thai golf fans had to wait a long time for their first winner at the Honda LPGA Thailand 2021 tournament today, when a storm interrupted play on the last hole.

As the last group of players, including 18-year-old Atthaya, began moving onto the fairway of the final hole, horns sounded and the game was suspended for more than an hour as a thunderstorm approached and the players had to leave the course to avoid being struck by lightning.

Since Atthaya was one stroke behind Ariya – who had already finished in the group ahead of him – and had made a good approach shot from the tee, the nerve-wracking final was suddenly interrupted until the storm had passed.

Since the outcome was completely open and for the first time in the tournament's history two Thais were fighting for victory, local golf fans had to wait with bated breath for more than an hour until the game resumed.

A smiling Atthaya had led on the home straight until the last hole and had scored five birdies and one bogey by the 18th hole.

Ariya, who nearly won in 2016, made birdies on the first six holes and was two strokes behind the leader after nine holes. After twelve holes, however, she was only one stroke behind the leader in second place. On the 17th hole, Ariya missed a birdie putt that would have given her a shared lead.

The former world number one finished the day with nine birdies.

Ariya's brilliant second approach shot to the 18th green gave her the chance for an eagle and the lead on the final hole, but her putt missed. Her birdie, however, earned her a shared lead with Atthaya, who was still playing the 17th.

She finished the round with an outstanding 63 (nine under par).

Atthaya, however, carded a three-putt bogey on the 17th hole, just minutes after Ariya finished her round, putting herself under pressure going into the final hole. It was her first bogey of the day.

Atthaya said that although she didn't win, she was proud of her performance. "It's a new experience to be so close to winning, and on the final putt I was just thinking, 'Okay, give me a good putt and I'll do my best,'" she said after her round. "I'm already proud of myself for being able to give it my all."

“I just told myself: Give it your best. Focus on what you can control and enjoy every single moment. I’m very proud to be here, and it’s always fantastic to play at the Honda LPGA in front of all the Thai fans. Their support is simply incredible,” said Atthaya.

Previously, defending champion Amy Yang from South Korea had started strongly and was only one stroke behind the leader after seven holes at six under par. But on the back nine, Yang simply couldn't manage another birdie.

South Koreans Amy Yang – the defending champion and three-time winner – and So Yeon Ryu finished in third place with -20 points, together with American Angel Yin.

Three players shared sixth place with a score of -17 each – Chella Choi from South Korea, Hannah Green from Australia and Patty Tavatankit from Thailand.

However, the Thai players dominated and remained at the top of the Siam Country Club Pattaya Old Course rankings on the final day.

After eight holes, the Thai women were in first, second, and third place, until Patty Tavatanakit bogeyed three putts on the twelfth hole, dropping her to a tie for sixth. Atthaya and Ariya thus led the standings until the final hole.

Patty, who had started the final round with a one-stroke lead, played a par on the first hole, while Atthaya birdied both the first and second holes to tie the score. However, she regained the lead with a birdie on the fifth hole.

Patty started the day with a one-stroke lead, but fell back with a bogey on the 6th hole and was now tied with Atthaya, the former world number one amateur. Then Patty experienced a nightmare hole on the 12th, three-putting a bogey.

After the nerve-wracking double bogey, Patty played par until she scored a birdie on the 17th hole, and by that time she had fallen back to a tie for sixth place.

For the rising star, who had taken the lead in each of the first three rounds, it was a disappointing end.

“I think I had everything pretty well under control,” Patty told the media after the final round. “I just didn’t play that well today. But I fought my way back to two under par.”

"I played eight rounds in Asia and finished under par in all of them. I'm still pretty proud of myself."

Amy finished her final round with nine birdies and one bogey for a 64. The three-time winner finished the tournament with a well-played score of 20 under par.

Another Thai golfer who played a brilliant final round was 21-year-old Pajaree Anannarukarn, who finished with a 63 (-9). Pajaree, who was named LPGA Rookie of the Year in 2019, was tied for 18th place after the third round at 11 under par. She took a big risk and played a stunning final round, ultimately finishing in a tie for 13th place.

The two lowest scores of the day were achieved by both Thai players – Ariya and Pajaree.

Ariya's sister Moriya finished in a tie for 17th place after a round of 3 under par, bringing her total to -13.

The Honda LPGA Thailand is the most prestigious LPGA tournament in Southeast Asia and one of Thailand's biggest sporting events. The 14th edition of the tournament attracts 72 top female golfers competing for a prize purse of US$1.6 million (50 million baht) and a Honda Accord Hybrid (Hybrid Tech) worth 1,799,000 baht for the hole-in-one. The winner receives US$240,000 (7.5 million baht), the runner-up US$148,877 (4.8 million baht), and the third-place finisher US$108,000 (3.4 million baht).

Winnie Heng, Vice President and CEO of IMG Thailand, said: “Congratulations to the winner of the 2021 Honda LPGA Thailand and, of course, a huge thank you to all the golfers for a fantastic week of golf. The camaraderie and spirit among the women on this tour is phenomenal. I am incredibly proud of this week’s leaderboard, where four Thai players dominated all four days and captivated the entire country. This result is a testament to the commitment of Honda and all sponsors to promoting women’s golf in Thailand.”

I would also like to thank our title sponsor Honda and all tournament partners for their continued support and trust. My thanks also go to the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, and the Thai Sports Authority for their ongoing guidance, which helped ensure the safe and smooth running of the event.

This event is thanks to the tireless efforts of our staff and volunteers, who dedicated themselves wholeheartedly to its success. I would like to sincerely thank each and every one of them for their commitment and dedication. Of course, we mustn't forget our fans either: thank you so much for your support from home – we miss you all very much and hope to welcome you back to the grounds of Siam Country Club, Old Course, next year.

In these challenging times, the tournament itself has embodied our slogan "Dream Big," and we hope it continues to inspire all golf enthusiasts. We are striving to create more opportunities like the national qualifying tournaments for ambitious young golfers, which will hopefully pave their way to the world stage.

We sincerely hope that hosting the Honda LPGA Thailand this year will pave the way for more international sporting events to take place in a safe environment here in Thailand and that it will help to revive sports and golf tourism.

“We look forward to seeing everyone again next year at the Honda LPGA Thailand 2022,” said Mrs. Winnie.