Star holds three-shot lead forward of LPGA Thailand ultimate day
PUBLISHED : 25 Feb 2024 at 04:00
Chon Buri: Dwelling favorite Patty Tavatanakit produced a masterclass on ‘transferring day’ to grab management of the Honda LPGA Thailand 2024.
Bidding to turn out to be solely the second Thai winner within the match’s 17-year historical past, Patty fired a 3rd spherical six-under-par 66 on the Siam Nation Membership’s Previous Course.
With a 54-hole mixture of 16-under 200, the 24-year-old will take a three-stroke benefit into Sunday’s ultimate spherical from Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom, who eagled the 18th for a spherical of 69.
An extra shot again in third are Koreans Choi Hye-Jin and Kim Hyo-Joo and Denmark’s Emily Pedersen. Choi and Pedersen each carded 65s, the very best rating of one other sizzling and humid day marked by slick greens and swirling winds on the again 9.
In joint sixth place on 205 are Canadian Brooke Henderson, Switzerland’s Albane Valenzuela, Korean Kim Sei-Younger and Thais Ariya Jutanugarn and teenage beginner Suvichaya Vinijchaitham.
Regardless of her lead, Patty will probably be taking nothing with no consideration as she makes an attempt to emulate the victory right here of Ariya in 2021, when she herself tied for third.
Patty, who achieved her maiden Girls European Tour (LET) victory final Sunday on the Aramco Saudi Girls Worldwide, mentioned: “I am actually happy with my efficiency at present. It is getting very tiring, exhausting within the warmth. I am simply going to preserve my vitality and tackle the problem tomorrow.”
In a superb begin to her spherical on Saturday — generally known as transferring day — Patty thrilled the thronging galleries with a entrance 9 of six-under 30 with birdies on the first, second, fifth and sixth and an eagle-three on the seventh.
The going received a bit of more durable on the again 9 which she lined in even-par 36, her solitary bogey at 11 after failing to get up-and-down from a greenside bunker offset by a birdie on the par-four fifteenth the place she drove by the inexperienced.
Her pursuers will know that final-day fireworks are attainable over the Previous Course, the place Lilia Vu carded a closing 64 final 12 months to seal a come-from-behind triumph.
Sagstrom, joint second-round chief with Patty and Kim Sei-Younger, mentioned: “Patty is taking part in superbly — hitting the ball beautiful and placing even higher. She left just a few putts quick at present and will have gone actually low.
“To have an opportunity tomorrow, it’s a must to play good golf. You do not actually do this by evaluating your self to any person else or making an attempt to react on their video games. All I must do is get in my very own zone and out of my very own means.”
Battling again after a disappointing opening 72, Ariya continued her quest for a second Honda LPGA Thailand crown with a four-under 68.
“My first spherical was a bit arduous as a result of I sort of hit all over the place. After that, I really feel like there is not any expectations. When I’ve no expectations, I begin to play higher,” mentioned Ariya, who has been impressed by the performances of her compatriots this week, amongst them 17-year-old Suvichaya.
{The teenager}, who earned her beginning spot right here by successful the nationwide qualifier final month, as soon as extra rose to the event on day three, with a 67, highlighted by an eagle-three on the first gap.
“On the primary day I did not count on that a lot. However after spherical three I am like: ‘Wow, that is superb. How can I do it?’ I used to be leaderboards and was so excited to see my identify,” mentioned Suvichaya.
“I do not need to put strain on myself as I am nonetheless an beginner. Simply taking part in this match means a lot to me. After all, I need to win, however I do not need to put the strain on myself.”
