Thai women golfers win world team championship

Thailand’s team is tops in the world. The Kingdom’s four highest-ranked women golfers defeated their counterparts from Australia to win the Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown, the team event on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour considered the world championship for team play.

“It was a breakthrough weekend for Thailand, which had never finished better than fourth in the first three editions of this tournament.,” wrote the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) on its website.

While Thailand had not prevailed in this particular competition before, the Kingdom’s golfing women have made a name for themselves worldwide on the LPGA Tour, with two – Ariya Jutanugarn and Atthaya Thitikul – having reached the pinnacle of world number one ranking.

Last week, Thailand’s women golfers finished with a sterling record of 11 wins in 12 matches. They began the tournament seeded sixth out of eight teams.

Atthaya Thitikul sealed victory for the Thai team on Sunday with a birdie on the 16th hole to beat Stephanie Kyriacou and finish the event with five wins and no losses in her matches. Earlier that day, Patty Tavatanakit downed Hannah Green in the other singles match.

The Thai tandem of sisters Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn won their doubles match over Minjee Lee and Sarah Kemp when Ariya Jutanugarn sank a chip shot from the edge of the green on the 15th hole.

The U.S. beat Sweden in the consolation match to finish third.

The International Crown is a match-play tournament featuring teams of four players from eight countries. The format for the final rounds was two singles matches and one alternate-shot match.

The players on the winning team all received $125,000 in prize money with the runners up getting $75,900.