SINGAPORE – After topping the world rankings in October, Thai teen Atthaya Thitikul will be looking to cap a stellar year with her first Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour title when she competes in the Dec 9-11 Hana Financial Group Singapore Women’s Open.
She headlines the 102-player field at the Tanah Merah Country Club. Other notable names include KLPGA 2022 Money List winner Park Min-ji.
Atthaya, 19, was the second youngest female golfer to reach world No. 1. She stayed there for two weeks before Nelly Korda took over on Nov 14. Atthaya is now world No. 3, behind Korda and Lydia Ko, who is back at No. 1.
“I know it was a really great year for me. A lot of good things happen this year. If I can do it, then it would be great but if not, I’m sure it’s still going to be a great event for me,” Atthaya, who captured the 2022 LPGA Rookie of the Year award, said in a statement on Tuesday.
“We usually see a lot of great Korean players on the LPGA Tour, so it’s without a doubt that the KLPGA Tour is a very strong and competitive circuit as well.
“The KLPGA Tour comprises many talented players there. If you want to finish on top, then you have to play really solid golf all week to stand a chance.”
She has had plenty of success in the Republic as an amateur. She finished runner-up at the Singapore Junior Championship in 2016, won the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific in 2018 and has enjoyed two top-eight finishes at the HSBC Women’s World Championship.
The Singapore Women’s Open had been slated to take place in 2020 but was postponed due to the pandemic. With a prize purse of $1.1 million, it will be the most lucrative women’s golf tournament in the country after the invite-only US$1.7 million (S$2.4 million) HSBC event, a fixture on the LPGA Tour.
Meanwhile, this is the third time Ko has reached the summit of women’s golf, a week after her LPGA Tour Championship triumph.
She first reached No. 1 in 2015, the youngest in history at the age of 17 years, nine months and nine days. Her reign lasted for 19 weeks.
Her second stint was for 85 weeks from October 2015 to June 2017. The span of five years, five months and 17 days is the longest period between spells at No. 1.
“I’m very grateful to be world No. 1 again,” the New Zealander said. “To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be back here again. This wouldn’t have been possible without my family and team, thank you for your belief and love.”
She had ended a near three-year title drought – during which she dropped to as low as 59th in the world – with a victory in the Lotte Championship in Hawaii in 2021.
Her resurgence continued with a January victory at the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio in Florida before she also won the BMW Ladies Championship and the season-ending Tour Championship.
That last win came with a US$2 million (S$2.75 million) winner’s prize, the largest in women’s golf.
It also cemented her second LPGA Player of the Year award and the Vare Trophy for the player with the lowest scoring average. Her 105th week atop the rankings this week is the fifth-most ever, a list led by Mexican Lorena Ochoa at 158 weeks.
Where to buy tickets
Tickets for the Hana Financial Group SWO can be purchased at https://ticketmaster.sg/activity/detail/22_hfgsgwomens
It costs $20 for a one-day pass and $50 for a three-day pass.
