LPGA Heads Back To Thailand
The LPGA Tour begins its two-event Asia swing with the 11th edition of the Honda LPGA Thailand at the Siam Country Club, Pattaya Old Course.
Lexi Thompson comes to the event as the defending champion after running away with the event in 2016 when she won by six strokes for her seventh-career victory on the LPGA Tour.
What You Need To Know About The Honda LPGA Thailand
- 11 – This is the 11th edition of the Honda LPGA Thailand
- 9 – There have been nine different winners of the Honda LPGA Thailand in its 10 years
- 7 – The nine winners have represented seven different countries
- 2 – Yani Tseng is the only two-time winner of the event winning back-to-back years in 2011 and 2012
- 63 – The lowest round shot at the Honda LPGA Thailand is 63 which has been shot seven different times, most recently by Beatriz Recari during the final round in 2015
- 66 – Ariya Jutanugarn has the low round by a Thai player at the Honda LPGA Thailand with a 66 during the second round in 2013
- 2 – Two players, Suzann Pettersen and Brittany Lang, have competed in all 10 of the previous Honda LPGA Thailand events
- 1 – Xi Yu Lin was the first player to win a hole-in-one prize on 16th hole during the 2016 Honda LPGA Thailand
- 13 – There are 13 Thai players who currently have LPGA status; back when the Honda LPGA Thailand started in 2006 there were 0
Who’s In The Field
Past Honda LPGA Thailand Winners: (7)
Lexi Thompson (2016), Amy Yang (2015), Anna Nordqvist (2014), Inbee Park (2013), Yani Tseng (2012, 2011), Ai Miyazato (2010), Suzann Pettersen (2007)
Thai Players: (7)
Pajaree Anannarukam, Porani Chutichai, Ariya Jutanugarn, Moriya Jutanugarn, Pornanong Phatlum, Pannarart Thanapolboonyaras, Atthaya Thitikul
Amateurs: (2)
Pajaree Anannarukam, Atthaya Thitikul
Can Ariya Do It Again?
Ariya Jutanugarn is coming off one of the most dynamic seasons in LPGA history. She collected five victories, including the 2016 Women’s British Open for her first career major (first-ever major champion (male or female) from Thailand) and became the second player to win the Rolex Player of the Year, Race to the CME Globe and the LPGA Official Money Title in the same season.
Jutanugarn, who is coming off a tie for third last week at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, nearly won the Honda LPGA Thailand, at just 17 years old in 2013. Jutanugarn led the field into the final round, but with a triple bogey on the 18th it was instead Inbee Park who hoisted the trophy. The runner-up finish is Jutanugarn’s best at the event.
Phatlum A Player To Watch
Another local favorite, Pornanong Phatlum, could be a player to watch this week at the Honda LPGA Thailand.
Phatlum is off to a solid start in 2017 with a tie for fifth at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic and a tie for seventh at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open. Phatlum is the only player on the LPGA Tour with top-10 finishes in each of the first two events of 2017.
In 2016, Phatlum posted five top-10 finishes and four top-5 finishes while also finishing 12th for her career-best finish at the Honda LPGA Thailand.
Inbee Park Makes First Start Since Winning Gold
Inbee Park will be making her first start on the LPGA since winning a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Park has missed the past six months since Rio while recovering from a left thumb injury. Below are some of Park’s notable accomplishments on the LPGA Tour.
- 17-time winner
- 7-time major champion
- Youngest player to qualify for the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame
- 2015 and 2012 Vare Trophy
- 2015 Rolex ANNIKA Major Award
- 2013 Rolex Player of the Year
- 2013 GWAA Female Player of the Year
- 2013 and 2012 LPGA Tour Money Winner
Lexi Vs. Jordan
As the top young American player on the LPGA Tour, Lexi Thompson has been drawing comparisons to PGA TOUR pro and Thompson’s former 2008 Junior Ryder Cup teammate Jordan Spieth. Here is how the two compare at this point in their respective careers.
| THOMPSON | SPIETH | |
| Age | 22 | 23 |
| Starts | 138 | 118 |
| Cuts Made | 117 | 102 |
| Wins | 7 | 9 |
| Top 10s | 45 | 48 |
Welcome Back
12 players will be making their 2017 debuts at the Honda LPGA Thailand including several notable names. A list of players making their debut can be found below.
Na Yeon Choi, In Gee Chun, Shanshan Feng, MJ Hur, Cristie Kerr, Alison Lee, Mirim Lee, Anna Nordqvist, Lee-Anne Pace, Inbee Park, Suzann Pettersen and So Yeon Ryu.
11 of the 12 are winners on the LPGA Tour, including eight major champions.
Thailand Is Week Three of the Race to CME Globe
This week’s Honda LPGA Thailand will mark the third event in the season-long Race to CME Globe. Through two events Brittany Lincicome and Ha Na Jang are tied for first with 500 points.
In 2017, the reset points for the Race to the CME Globe will be modified slightly. As a result of these modifications:
- The Top Five (5) Finishers entering Naples will control their own destiny at the CME Group Tour Championship – – meaning if they win in Naples, they will also win the $1M CME Globe.
- The top twelve (12) finishers entering Naples will have a mathematical chance to win the $1M CME Globe.
- Previously, the Top 3 controlled their destiny and Top 9 had a mathematical chance
