Young Thai ace grabs top world women's golf ranking

MANILA, Philippines – Atthaya Thitikul won’t ever trade family for any other award or accolade from her chosen sport. But after moving to the top in the latest world women’s golf ranking, the Thai ace now has the best of both worlds.

“One thing that I have, like I really want to do, no matter where I am (whether it’s) No. 1 in the world, No. 2, 3, 4, 5, 100, 1000, I want to be same (person),” said Thitikul. “I want to be the same as before, not changing myself. I want to have fun, not really taking (golf) too seriously. I don't want to think about myself like a superstar or act like I’m No. 1 in the world.

Thitikul, 19, became only the second player to reach the No. 1 ranking in her LPGA Tour rookie year after Korean Sung Hyun Park in Nov. 2017. She’s also the second player in Tour history to make it to the top ranking under age 20 after Kiwi Lydia Ko.

“I don't really think about the ranking that much. I mean, like I said, it's the outcome that we can’t control,” said Thitikul during the Mediheal Championship last month.

“But I play golf because I want to take care of my family. I want to feed my family. Whatever I am is fine. Even my family, they have a good life already. Ranking is not that important to me,” she added.

But she admits that her latest title and honor would be hard to keep or defend.

"It is very special to get to the top but it is much harder to retain it. I still have a lot to learn from all the legends and current players both on and off the course,” she said. “I will continue to work hard for my family, my team, my fans and my country."

Thitikul has recorded so many firsts in her young, prolific career. At 14, she became the youngest player in history to win a professional event, ruling the Ladies European Thailand Championship in 2017 and two months later, she advanced to the weekend play of the Evian Championship, making her the youngest ever to make the cut in an LPGA major.

A week before turning 15, she became the inaugural champion of the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship, edging three others, including Yuka Saso, in a playoff. At 16, she won the Ladies Euro Thai Championship again, emerged as the low amateur in the AIG Women’s Open and wrested the No. 1 spot in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. She then turned pro in 2020.

The pandemic did slow her down — and so did the rest and when action resumed in 2021, she racked up four titles and clinched the LET money title, the rookie of the year and was voted Player of the Year by her peers.

Now, with two LPGA titles and 12 top 10 finishes, Thitikul is the world's No. 1 and is tipped to nail the LPGA Rookie of the Year trophy and is in strong contention for the LPGA Player of the Year plum with two regular tournaments and the CME Group Tour Championship left in the 2022 season.

Not bad for a sickly young lass who was told by a doctor to get into sports to get well and who chose golf over tennis since the latter “requires too much running.”