VICTORY FOR YOUNG THAI AT CZECH LADIES OPEN

Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul shot a stunning final round of 65, to win the Tipsport Czech Ladies Open by one stroke and secure her third Ladies European Tour title.

It was the 18-year-old’s first win on the LET as a professional, after she previously won the 2017 and 2019 Ladies European Thailand Championship at Pattaya’s Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club, while still an amateur.

Thitikul, who began the day on eight-under-par, got off to a difficult start dropping two shots in the opening four holes but bounced back with three consecutive birdies. 

The teenage sensation rolled in another birdie on the ninth to make the turn in 34 and followed that up with two more birdies on 10 and 11. 

The Thai star was not finished there as she made another three birdies in her final four holes to set the clubhouse lead of 15-under-par, which was enough to seal victory. 

“I am so grateful for my first win outside of my country. I came close to a win on many previous tournaments, and I finally did it, it means so much to me! I am so proud to be able to represent my country. I understand my game which helped me a lot today. Nuria played some great golf this week and I know her time will come again in the future.”

Spain’s Nuria Iturrioz had another excellent day carding a bogey-free round of 68 to add to her 66 and 68 in the first and second rounds, respectively. 

Germany’s Leonie Harm was a shot further back having had a phenomenal start to her final round, which saw her make the turn in 30 with six birdies. 

Pia Babnik, who leads the 2021 Race to Costa del Sol, carded a 67 and ended the tournament T6 alongside Finland’s Sanna Nuutinen – who delivered the best round of the day after she shot a 64 including a hole-in-one on the par-4 ninth. 

In the tour’s 2021 Race to Costa del Sol, Slovenia’s Babnik leads with 772.67 points with Germany’s Olivia Cowan second on 646.67 and South Africa’s Lee-Anne Pace third with 646.25. 

Thitikul leapt up the standings to fourth spot with 624.17 and is due to play on the Ladies European Tour for most of the season.

Eventually Thitikul’s plan is to qualify for her LPGA card this winter, where people in the know, predict she will challenge her fellow Thai stars Ariya Jutanugarn and Patty Tavatanakit for major honours in the future.