SAN FRANCISCO – World No. 5 Atthaya Thitikul said “we can beat every team in the world” after sixth seeds Thailand captured the LPGA International Crown on Sunday, blanking Australia 3-0 in the championship match to complete a near-perfect run in the global team event at Harding Park.
Patty Tavatanakit defeated Hannah Green 4 and 3, and Atthaya beat Stephanie Kyriacou 4 and 2 in singles to clinch the trophy, before siblings Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn downed Minjee Lee and Sarah Kemp 4 and 3 in foursomes to complete the sweep.
“It means a lot for all of us. It’s incredible work we put in this week to get this trophy for our country,” said Atthaya.
“We’re one of the best teams in the world and I think we can beat every team in the world.”
However, Ariya said the Thai players felt a bit worried on Saturday night about the final day of the tournament.
“We kind of talked through it and then everybody just said, ‘You know what, do our best, and let’s go with no expectations and we know that the result is gonna be great’,” she said.
Thailand went 11-1 in all matches during the week, making a perfect streak through round-robin play before ousting the top-seeded United States 2-1 in a Sunday morning semi-final.
The seventh-seeded Aussies beat Sweden 3-0 in the other semi-final but had no answer for the Thai stars.
“It means so much and for us to come all the way this far it’s so great for our country,” Patty said.
“You can already see there are a lot of rookies this year from Thailand. You know this is going to keep making it growing and keep inspiring young people.
“I’m just so proud of all of us to be able to play and give it all we got and just try to make our home country proud.”
Atthaya and Kyriacou were level at the turn. Atthaya won the 12th hole with an eight-foot birdie putt, took the 14th with a par and got up and down from a bunker for par to win the 15th for a 3-up lead.
When Kyriacou missed a 12-foot birdie putt, she conceded the hole and the clinching point.
Patty birdied the par-three second, par-five third and par-four fourth to jump 3-up, Green won the next two holes with birdies but her opponent birdied holes 7, 11 and the par-three 13th to seize a 4-up lead. She won the match by tying the 14th and 15th.
“I was really patient out there. I knew it was going to be tougher because everyone is tired, just tried to be as consistent as I can and that helped,” Patty said.
The Jutanugarn sisters, who won the deciding point over the US women and went unbeaten for the week, birdied four holes in a row starting at the par-four seventh to seize a 4-up lead.
Ariya, named the Crown’s Most Valuable Player, chipped in for par at the 15th to tie the hole and complete the team sweep.
“It’s such an honour to represent our country. Everyone just gave 100 per cent for every match. We tried to play as solid as we can,” Moriya said.
Kemp took some consolation in the Australians managing a best-ever finish by reaching the final.
“We made everyone in Australia proud by finishing second. We’ve done the best ever Australia has done in this tournament,” she said.
“It’s obviously a little disappointing, but it’s still a big win for us.”
The US defeated Sweden 2-1 in the third-place play-off.
Launched in 2014, the International Crown is a biennial team event that returned this season after a four-year absence due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Having team events like this, brings a wider fan base for us. I think fans really enjoy it, and there’s a lot more energy out here and people cheering and things like that,” American Lexi Thompson said.
“We got big crowds today. It’s important for women’s golf in general, too, to have these events.”
AFP, REUTERS
