THAI STARLET ATTHAYA THITIKUL SECURES WIRE-TO-WIRE WIN AT WOMEN’S AMATEUR ASIA-PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIP IN SINGAPORE

Atthaya Thitikul

Singapore, 24 February 2018: Emerging Thai star Atthaya Thitikul, 15, secured a dramatic wire-to-wire victory at the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific by winning a four-way play-off at Sentosa Golf Club and securing places in two of this year’s major championships.

Continuing to sing, laugh and joke with experienced caddie Roongroj ‘Yod’ Boonsri, Thitikul carded a closing 71 to join Japan’s Yuna Nishimura (69), the Philippines’ Yuka Saso (68) and New Zealand’s Wenyung Keh (67) with an eight-under total of 276 over the 6,456-yard New Tanjong course.

After narrowly missing birdie-putt chances to win on the first two extra holes on 18, Thitikul tapped in for par on the long par-four 12th before 17-year-old Nishimura missed a long par putt to concede victory. Keh, 20, and Saso, 16, exited after the first and second extra holes respectively.

Thitikul, who only turned 15 on Tuesday, started the event at 53rd in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, with recent highlights including becoming the Ladies European Tour’s youngest-ever winner last July and gold medals in the SEA Games individual and team events in Malaysia a month later.

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