19-Year-Old Rookie Atthaya Thitikul Shakes Up Women's Golf World
Only Multi-Champion Among Rookies... Eyeing Rookie of the Year and World No. 1
Supported by Father, a Car Business Owner, and Mother, a Hairdresser; Started Golf at 6 Due to Severe Allergies
Youngest Pro Tournament Winner at 14, K-Drama Enthusiast, Powerful Long Hitter Despite 162cm Stature
‘Number 2’ Atthaya Thitikul is a ‘super rookie’ who has been shaking up the landscape of women's golf worldwide since her debut year on the LPGA Tour. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] The golf club she picked up as a child to treat allergies changed the fate of an ordinary rural Thai girl. Atthaya Thitikul. She is a 19-year-old rookie who debuted on the U.S. Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour this season. From her debut year, she has been shaking up the landscape of women's golf worldwide.
19-Year-Old Girl Eyeing World No. 1 in LPGA Debut Season
Her achievements can be simply explained by the statistics. As of the 6th, she ranks first in rookie points (1,369 points), second in the world rankings (7.48 points), third in Player of the Year (121 points), fourth in scoring average (69.46 strokes), and fifth in prize money rankings ($1,968,266). She has played in 22 tournaments this season, winning twice. Including the last three consecutive tournaments, she has finished in the ‘Top 10’ twelve times.
In the Rookie of the Year category, she has extended her lead over competitor Choi Hye-jin (23) to 208 points. With five tournaments remaining, she is highly likely to win the Rookie of the Year award. Following Moriya Jutanugarn in 2013 and Patty Tavatanakit last year, she is the third Thai rookie to challenge for the title. Moreover, she is closing in on world No. 1 Ko Jin-young (27, 7.91 points) in the world rankings. The difference between the two players is only 0.43 points. Since Ko Jin-young is expected to return to the field at the end of this month due to a wrist injury, Thitikul has a chance to overtake her. After Ariya Jutanugarn, who has won 12 times in total, she aims to become the second Thai player ever to reach world No. 1.
‘Number 2’ Atthaya Thitikul is a ‘super rookie’ who has been shaking up the landscape of women's golf worldwide since her debut year on the LPGA Tour.
Youngest LET Champion, 5 Wins on Thai Tour, 2 LPGA Rookie Wins... Impressive Record
Thitikul was born on February 20, 2003, in Ban Pong, Ratchaburi, Thailand. Her father runs a car wash business, and her mother is a beautician. She started golf with active support from her parents. Her father drove an hour to Bangkok, where she had a swing coach, to support her. Thitikul is a prodigy who began playing golf at age six.
Atthaya Thitikul is posing with a silver medal after finishing first among amateurs at the 2019 major AIG Women's Open.
After winning the Thailand Amateur Open in 2017, she rose as the top amateur by finishing runner-up at the Queen Sirikit Cup held in China. That same year, she made a strong impression on the world stage by becoming the youngest winner (14 years, 4 months, 19 days) at the Ladies European Tour (LET) Thailand Championship. She won the Thailand Championship again in 2019 and swept five wins on the Thai LPGA the following year. Last year, she finished third in the Q-Series to enter the LPGA Tour this year, and she claimed titles at the JTBC Classic in March and the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship on the 26th of last month. She has already won 12 times as a professional.
Allergies Changed Her Life
The reason she started sports is interesting. She often fell ill due to allergies as a child and played golf, volleyball, and tennis to boost her immunity. Thitikul disliked running, so she chose golf. From a young age, she helped her parents prepare dinner. She enjoys cooking. Her hobby is watching K-dramas on Netflix at home.
She is a big fan of Korean dramas. "After watching ‘Vagabond,’ I became deeply immersed in K-dramas," said Thitikul, adding, "My favorite celebrity is Hyun Bin," and "The most recent drama I watched is ‘Now, We Are Breaking Up.’" Among Korean celebrities, she follows Lee Min-ho, IU, Nam Joo-hyuk, Lee Jong-suk, Park Seo-joon, Park Shin-hye, Park Min-young, Kim Go-eun, Son Ye-jin, and Suzy. She also enjoys traveling with friends, listening to music, singing, and photography.
Atthaya Thitikul is a long hitter with a small stature of 162cm but an average drive of 270.43 yards.
Despite Petite Frame, 270-Yard Drives... Exceptional Iron and Putting Skills
Thitikul wants to support her family through golf. She has earned $2 million in prize money this year alone. Although she currently lives in Bangkok, she plans to buy a house in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. She respects Ko Jin-young, Minjee Lee (Australia), Lydia Ko (New Zealand), and Ariya Jutanugarn. Thitikul explained why she admires them: "Lydia Ko controls her emotions well on the course, Minjee Lee plays consistently, and Ko Jin-young plays incredibly well."
Despite her petite stature of 162 cm, she is building solid muscles through weight training. She is a long hitter with an average driving distance of 270.43 yards (16th). Her iron play and putting are also outstanding, with a greens in regulation rate of 73.82% (13th) and 1.76 putts per hole (12th). She has made 350 birdies (2nd), enjoying aggressive play. Although the top spot is within reach, she remains humble. Thitikul said, "Since this is my rookie season, I will do my best to gain new experiences."
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