Patty Tavatanakit of Thailand has taken the Symetra Tour by storm a few months out of UCLA.
The 19-year-old who lives in Sherman Oaks won for the second straight week, shooting 5-under-par in the final round 67 and coasting to a seven-stroke victory over Jenny Coleman in the Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic at Brook-Lea Country Club https://brookleacountryclub.com in Rochester, N.Y.
“I knew I was capable, but I didn’t expect it to happen this soon,” said Tavatanakit, who a week earlier won the Donald Ross Classic by three shots in French Lick, Ind. “It’s pretty great because I really didn’t expect it since I was so tired after winning last week. It was a completely different course, tighter and harder, and the wind was blowing pretty hard.
“Tree-lined courses like this make me focus more, and I put myself in good position on the green and made a lot of putts. There were some tough pin positions, but I managed the course well and played the par-5s well.
“It’s definitely been crazy, the craziest month of my life. My goal was to get my (LPGA) Tour card for next year, whether it was out here or in Tour School.”
Tavtanakit, who has tied for 14th, finished second and won twice in four events on the Symetra Tour in addition tying for 34th in the U.S. Women’s Open and tying for 15th in the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic, moved to fourth in the Symetra Tour’s Volvik Race for the Card with $75,121. The top 10 will earn LPGA Tour cards for next season.
A two-time All-American at UCLA, who won seven times in two seasons for the Bruins, Tavatanakit posted a score of 69-67-65-67—268, 20-under, while Coleman was second at 70-72-64-69—275.
Gigi Stoll shot 71-69-70-66—276 to tie for third with Julieta Granada of Paraguay, who finished at 71-69-70-66—276, August Kim, who totaled 71-70-67-68—276, Esther Lee, who wound up at 68-69-71-68—276, Lauren Coughlin, who wound up at 67-70-70-69—276, and Yjeong Kim of South Korea, who came in at 69-67-71-69—276.
Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Canada was ninth at 69-67-71-70—277, while Leona Maguire of Ireland shot 71-71-71-65—278 to tie for 10th with Sydney Legacy, who finished at 68-73-71-66—278, and Janie Jackson, who wound up at 70-69-70-69—278.
For complete results, http://visit https://www.symetratour.com/tournaments/danielle-downey-credit-union-classic/results
