Another Thai star on the LPGA Tour Honda LPGA Thailand has risen to the top of the leaderboard. This is Natakrita Wongtawirap (Thailand), a rookie who debuted on the LPGA tour this year.
In the second round of the Honda LPGA Thailand held at Siam Country Club Pattaya Old Course (par 72) in Chonburi, Thailand on the 24th, Thai galleries cheered even more than the previous day. This is because Wongtawirap joined the competition for the lead after the middle of the round. He recorded four consecutive birdies on holes 12-15. On this day alone, Wongtawirap, who reduced 7 strokes with 8 birdies and 1 bogey, took the sole lead with a total of 12 under par, one stroke ahead of Maya Stark (Sweden, 11 under par). In this event, the only LPGA Tour event held in Thailand, Arya Jutanugarn is the only Thai player to reach the top in 2021. Wongtawirap will challenge for a surprise victory as a rookie in this tournament.
Wongtawi Lap, born in 2002, is considered a golfer with long hits. He is known as a super long hitter who only drives 300 yards. In the second round of this tournament, his average drive shot distance was measured at 292 yards. The power radiated from his height of 1m75cm stands out. 메이저놀이터
Above all, what stands out to him is his deep connection with Korea. He grew up as a teenager after learning his skills from a Korean coach. In 2021, when she was an amateur, she won runner-up at the Women’s Amateur Asia Pacific Tournament (WAAP), and won the women’s golf individual event at the Southeast Asian Games last year, attracting attention as the most promising player in golf in Thailand. Since early last year, he has been sponsored by KB Financial Group and has been playing with the KB Financial Group logo on the front of his hat. At the time, Wongtawirap said through KB Financial Group, “I am grateful to KB Financial Group for appreciating my potential and deciding to support me. I want to become a world-class player through constant practice and effort and become a role model for young golfers.”
Wongta Wee Lap also produced impressive results on his professional stage. In June of last year, he participated in the Korean Women’s Open and tied for 29th place. After challenging the LPGA Tour Qualifying Series in December of last year and securing a tour card with a tie for 28th, she is making a strong impression in her country’s LPGA Tour tournaments, where many of the world’s top rankers participated this year. JTBC Golf will broadcast the 3rd round of this tournament live from 12:15 pm on the 25th.