The fierce competition and expansion of women's golf have contributed significantly to the fulfillment and success that these ladies have upon reaching milestones in their careers. Let's explore Patty Tavatanakit’s story as she blossomed in her career by winning the Honda 2024 LPGA Thailand.
Looking back on Tavatanakit's childhood, she didn't care or know much about golf until she saw Tiger Woods perform. She aspired to emulate his athleticism and courage to become one of the greatest golf players, and throughout her journey she strived to replicate Woods’ skills with a driver. Her determination and focus have fueled her to keep working hard to grow and achieve her goals.
It wasn’t until college when she began making a name for herself by improving every year. Tavatanakit made exceptional progress in her time playing for UCLA, being named the Women’s Golf Coaches Association and Pac-12 Conference Freshman of the Year, WGCA First Team All-American twice, and All Pac-12 First Team Member. She established a name for herself in college and used her talent and skills to further her career as a professional golfer.
Beginning her professional career in 2019, she carded a career-low 18-hole tournament scoring record of 11-under 61 at the 2019 Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic as a sponsor invite. This was a significant accomplishment, as she was playing against seasoned golfers who had been competing at the highest level for years. As Tavatanakit continued to improve and move forward in her career, she was named the 2019 Gaelle Truet Rookie of the Year for being the highest finishing rookie on the Epson Tour. Being able to manage the transition from college to professional golf and succeed early on showcased her perseverance and trust in the process of never giving up on her dreams.
In 2020, Tavatanakit began playing for the Ladies Professional Golf Association. Her first tournament was the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rico, and she recorded a season best finish of T-9 at the Marathon LPGA Classic. Her first win–and a major, at that–came in April 2021 at the ANA Inspiration. Being a Thai native, she was able to represent Thailand at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and in 2023 she represented Team Thailand in the Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown.
Starting her 2024 off strong, Tavatanakit won the 2024 Honda LPGA Thailand. She became the second Thai champion to be crowned at the Honda LPGA Thailand on Sunday, winning her first Tour event in 1,057 days. In an LPGA interview following her strong performance she confidently stated, “I'm just really just proud of myself. I just fought really hard and I just see that I can make putts under pressure.”
Tavatanakit is looking forward to the future and wants to continue showcasing her true capabilities. The Honda LPGA Thailand was an opportunity to see how she handles pressure and pushes through obstacles. She has high expectations for herself in the coming years, and wants to continue achieving her goals.
In the same interview with the LPGA Tavatanakit said, “I told my dad, I finally got out of my way and I really understood a lot about myself today. So really excited to keep this momentum moving forward in the season.”
Fun Facts:
She is a “foodie” who enjoys capturing shots of her food when she is traveling around the world.
She enjoys watching Riverdale on Netflix, and Zac Efron is her favorite actor.
Patty is not her real name. She shortened her real name from Paphangkorn because she felt that would be too difficult for people to pronounce.
Edited by: Emma Habel