Thai brigade ready to make a splash at HSBC Women’s World Championship

AFTER Mexican golfer Lorena Ochoa triumped at the inaugural HSBC Women’s World Championship back in 2008, it was the Americans and the South Koreans who dominated the tournament for most of the next decade or so.

The United States paraded four champions before the “Seoul Sisters” took over the mantle with seven victories, including the last three winners in Park Sung-hyun, Kim Hyo-joo and Ko Jin-young.

This year, the stage seems set for a tenacious Thai brigade to step forward and set the popular tournament alight in its 15th edition, which tees off on Thursday (March 2) at Sentosa Golf Club’s Tanjong course.

A sneak peek into their refreshing authority was evident at last week’s Honda LPGA Thailand, where 11 Thai golfers made the cut.

Natthakritta Vongtaveelap and Atthaya Thitikul impressed at the Siam Country Club to finish second and third respectively, behind the storming finish of Lilia Vu of the US who shot an eight-under 64 on the final day.

Thitikul, who is 20 years old and the current world No 4, has been making the headlines since her triumph at the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship in Singapore in 2018 at the Tanjong course, which she counts among her favourite venues.

The other Thais to watch this week are the Jutanugarn sisters Ariya and Moriya, as well as Pornanong Phatlum and Patty Tavatanakit.

These talented women have come to the fore in the sport largely due to the strong support of three top sponsors of Thai golf – Singha, Siam Cement Group and the Sports Authority of Thailand – and their continuous participation in domestic Thai LPGA events.

Said Thitikul: “I was (in Singapore) as an amateur and I (had) a top-10 (finish) at the HSBC tournament. I love playing with Sim (Vontaveelap’s nickname). It’s been eight or nine years since we started playing together as we grew up in the junior golf ranks. I think women’s golf in Thailand is getting bigger and better.”

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However, in an event that boasts 17 of the world’s top 20 players, with 22 Major winners and three former champions in Ko Jin-young, Kim Hyo-joo and Stacy Lewis, the road to victory will not come easy.

Much of the spotlight will be on world No 1 Lydia Ko, who went through a three-year slump after reaching the summit of the rankings in 2015 when she was just 17.

While she’s now back at the top of her game, the 25-year-old is not taking anything for granted as she chases an elusive grandstand finish in Singapore.

“You can never get too cocky about your ranking because it is so tight. Everyone is playing really well and you can’t say, ‘I’m going to be there (at the top) forever.”

The Seoul-born New Zealander is also the reigning LPGA Player of the Year. Her best result at the HSBC Women’s World Championship came in 2015 when she finished second.

The current defending champion Ko Jin-young will be hoping to return to the winner’s circle for the first time since her win last year where her final round of 66 saw her set the LPGA Tour’s all-time record for most consecutive rounds in the 60s then.

“I know there’s going to be pressure but I don’t want to think too much about it. I just need to meditate as that has allowed me to focus more on my swing and golf shots,” said Ko, a two-time Major champion.

Canadian Brooke Henderson, American Nelly Korda and Australian Minjee Lee are among the other favourites for the US$1.8 million event that will crown its champion on Sunday.