SURREY 18-YEAR-OLD CHARLOTTE WINS ANNIKA EVENT IN CHINA

          Charlotte Thomas, from Surrey, with her trophy, is flanked by Tenniel Chu, vice-chairman of Mission Hills Golf Club, and Annika Sorenstam.

FROM THE GOLFWEEK WEBSITE
with additional words by Colin Farquharson
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Charlotte Thomas, Surrey-born but Singapore based for the past five years, prevailed on a thrilling final day of the inaugural Annika Invitational at Mission Hills, becoming the event's first champion at the Annika Course at Mission Hills in Shenzhen, China. The event was the first-ever girls-only junior golf event held in China.
Charlotte, a +2.5 handicapper whose 19th birthday is not until next February 23, was the halfway leader in the recent British women's open amateur stroke-play championship at Royal Ashdown Forest, Thomas,  shot 10-under 206 for the tournament in China.
She began the final round four strokes behind second-round leader Ru Qing Guan of China. Guan, only 11 years old, was out front after carding 66-70 the first two rounds. Her final round of 71 earned her second place.
Thomas, however, opened the event with rounds of 72-68 to stay within four shots of Guan’s 8 under lead. Thomas eagled the third hole and birdied the sixth to shoot three-under 33 on the front nine in the final round. Then she made consecutive birdies on the 12th, 13th and 14th holes to tie Guan for the lead.
The tournament reached its climax on the 17th hole, when Thomas made a clutch birdie putt for a 2 on the par 3, while Guan 3-putted the hole for bogey 4 - a two-shot swing in the English girl's favour.
With a two shot lead on the final hole, Thomas played conservatively and made a bogey for the victory.
Phimnipha Wongwaiwate of Thailand shot a final round 70 for a 1-under 215 to finish third place in the overall competition. All three top finishers earned an invitation to the fourth annual Annika Invitational to be played January 13-16, 2012 at Reunion Resort in Orlando, Florida.
More than 70 players from around the globe travelled to 12-course Mission Hills to compete in the event. Apart from being the first junior girls-only tournament in China, it was also the first Annika Invitational event held outside the United States.

“The reason I founded this tournament is to give back to golf to help grow the game globally, especially in Asia," Sorenstam said in a release. "Mission Hills China has been very successful growing the game in China and helping to globalize the game of golf. Everything Mission Hills does is first class, so I certainly will partner with Mission Hills China to have my dream come true."

Winner of 89 professional tournaments and 10 major championships during her 15-year Hall-of-Fame career, Sorenstam was on-site the entire week hosting skills clinics, dinner receptions and other activities for the competitors. The Annika Course represents her first foray into golf design.

This is Charlotte Thomas's second win in China. She has won a Nick Faldo Junior Series tournament there.

+Charlotte Thomas is pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency in action at Royal Ashdown Forest GC earlier this month in the British women's open amateur stroke-play championship. She was the halfway leader with scores of 76 and 72 for 148 but finished with rounds of 78 and 75 for a total of 301 and joint fifth place (alongside defending champion Pamela Pretswell, British open amateur champion Lauren Taylor, Rachael Taylor and Brogan Townend) behind runaway winner Leona Maguire, runner-up Laurence Herman (Belgium) and Meghan MacLaren and Amy Boulden.