This week, the LPGA Tour is in Thailand for the 15th time and will begin the LPGA tournament for Thailand's Honda at the Old Stadium in Pattaya, Siam Country Club.
This week's contestants included Ariya Jutanugarn, Thailand's national hero and defending champion of the tournament, who scored 63 in the 2021 final to beat Thai popular star Atthaya Thitikul with one stroke to become the first Thai to win an LPGA title in her own country. This week, Stiku will also return to Siam to compete for the first time as an LPGA Tour member.
Chinese players Lin Xiyu and Liu Yu also came to this week's game. "This week, I want to play a relatively low score. Because the greens on this pitch aren't particularly fast, nor are they particularly hard, there are plenty of opportunities to attack. I have paid attention to the competitions of previous years, and the champions have played very well! So, my goal is to try to play as many low strokes as possible when I have the chance. Lin Xiyu said.
Another Chinese Liu Yu, who plays in the LPGA, said that there is no promotion line for this week's competition, and she will play a little more actively! "I've been tweaking my movements lately and need a process to adapt to the new technology. For me, this week is a great opportunity. Hopefully, through the four rounds, I hope to regain some confidence. ”
Chinese-American player Lucy Li came to the game this week through a sponsor wild card.
The Aria sisters lead the way in golf in Thailand
Few players can keep the most eye on the development of golf in their own countries as Aria and Moriah. The sisters are synonymous with golf in Thailand, just as Lorena Ochoa was in Mexico and Park Se-li was in South Korea. Their faces appear on billboards and tv commercials. Netflix also made a film about how Aria grew into the first golfer in Thailand to win a Grand Slam and be ranked number one in the world.
When Aria won the 2022 Thai Honda LPGA Championship, becoming the first Thai player to win her own title, she felt she had truly achieved her ultimate goal.
Before the start of this year's competition, Aria said: "Before winning this competition last year, I kept saying to myself that the only race I really wanted to win but hadn't won yet was the Thailand LPGA Honda. I haven't told anyone about it, one of my biggest dreams is to win in my home country, and I did it last year and it felt great! ”
Of course, before the Arya sisters, Thailand had outstanding women's golfers. For example, Virada Nirapathpongporn won the 2003 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship and twice at the Epson Tour that same year. In 2004, Russamee Gulyanamitta became the first Thai player to qualify for LPGA Tour membership.
But Aria and Mauriya have played a leading role, and now the "Country of Smiles" has emerged a large number of good players. In 2007, at the age of 11, Ariya qualified for the LPGA Tour in Honda, Thailand, the only LPGA Tour member from Thailand. Fast forward to 2022, and there are already 12 Thai players on the LPGA Tour, including 2021 Chevron Championship champion Patty Tawatanakit and high-profile 2022 rookie Ateya Stikku, who has won four women's European Tour titles at the age of 19.
When sisters Aria and Mauriya first arrived in the United States, they were teenagers and amateurs who knew nothing about the Junior Tour and had difficulty communicating in English. Now, the sisters have gained a foothold on the LPGA Tour and become national representatives.
"I'm excited to see a lot of Thai girls coming to the LPGA Tour right now, getting stronger and stronger. I feel like we're on the rise and it's nice to find someone speaking Thai at the race now. Aria said, adding, "The younger generation has inspired me in a lot of ways, such as her hard work, determination and performance in the competition, and I think they will also inspire a lot of children in Thailand, so it's a good thing." ”
Back in Thailand Aria is looking forward to defending her title
In 2021, at the LPGA in Honda Thailand, Aria finished the race with a -22 stroke lead, becoming the leader in the guild hall. The game was interrupted by a thunderstorm, and Aria waited in the clubhouse for more than an hour to see if she could win the championship. At that time, Artea Styku still had a chance to turn the tables.
"I didn't know what was going to happen next, so at that moment, that feeling was a little awkward for me. I support Artea, but I also want to win, so it's like a lot of things are happening. "Sister Moria hugged her tightly, even though she didn't know what to do." I don't think I can help much," she said. "When you cheer for a person, support them, cheer for them, you feel the same way they do. At the same time, I also felt nervous and excited. I mean, it's a great memory for us and our families. ”
In the end, Stiku had three pushes on the 18th hole, and Aria won the final victory. She began to cry and raised the trophy with a big smile on her face.
Now, back on this pitch to defend her title, Aria said: "I'm even more excited about what's going to happen this week, not just for me, but for all the Thai players this week." "I wasn't stressed because I knew everyone wanted to support me. I know where I am now. I can only continue to do the same thing and hope that it will get better soon. ”
Interview information of Lin Xiyu, Liu Yu and Xu Weiling:
1. Lin Xiyu
Q: How was it like to come to Thailand to compete?
Lin Xiyu: The test court feels very good, I have come to this stadium more, so it is quite familiar.
There haven't been any special changes to the stadium this year, and the weather is a little better than last May, so it still feels quite comfortable.
Q: I am familiar with the stadium, is there any more targeted playing style? What are the goals?
Lin Xiyu: This week, I hope to play a relatively low score. Because the greens on this pitch aren't particularly fast, nor are they particularly hard, there are plenty of opportunities to attack. I look at past results, and the championships are all very low results, so my goal is to try to play some low scores when I have the opportunity.
Q: Back in Asia, are there any special preparations?
Lin Xiyu: These two weeks to be prepared for the heat, now it is particularly hot! However, I was not surprisingly sunburned. But the overall situation is still quite good, after all, I am a southerner and adapted to playing in this hot weather.
2. Liu Yu
Q: How did it feel to be in Thailand this week? Did you test the floor?
Liu Yu: This year is the third time to play Thailand, I am familiar with the stadium and I am looking forward to the game.
The test runs feel good, the stadium is in good condition, a little harder than in 2021. I prefer the harder courses. My own feeling is that the course is not as soft as last year, maybe because the season is different, this year is not yet the rainy season, so it will be better.
Q: Is there anything special about coming back to the Asian arena? Have you set a small goal for this week's game?
Liu Yu: Back in Asia, I will play a little more actively because there is no promotion line.
For this week's game, I didn't set myself any special goals. In fact, since the end of last year, I have been adjusting the action, making some basic adjustments, and the changes are quite large, and I need a process to adapt to the new technology as soon as possible. In the three weeks before that, I practiced ok, but last week I didn't play very well, there were a lot of details that I didn't pay attention to well, and this week was a great opportunity. In the four rounds, I hope to regain some confidence.
3. Xu Weiling
Q: How many times have you participated in the Thailand Race this week? How does it feel?
Xu Weiling: This is my fourth time in Thailand, I am familiar with the stadium, and I don't feel so stressed when practicing!
I came to Thailand this Monday and couldn't practice that day, but because I was familiar with the stadium, I wouldn't be nervous and could have a good rest.
Q: Did you set goals for the game?
Xu Weiling: Last week, I set a 6 word for each round, but only one round did it. Hopefully this week we can achieve that goal.
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Kenya Open Round 4
Wu Ashun rose up and chased
"Satellite Golf" brings you the essence of the fourth round of the 2022 Kenya Open tonight at 23:20, replayed at 3:20 am, and can also lock Beijing Gehua Cable Channel 644, Hainan China Cable Channel 200 Channel, or Hainan Satellite TV High Standard Hd Channel, a cable TV network across the country, so stay tuned!
In the final round of the Kenya Open, China's Wu Ashun, who was four strokes behind in the penultimate group, did not start well, falling out of the top 5 at one point. However, he took advantage of the chance of catching a bird on the par 5 hole on No. 4 to return to -10 and put himself in a good position to win the title again on No. 9.
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Round 3 of the 2021 Australian PGA Championship
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2021 Australian PGA Championship Final Round
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