Atthaya Thitikul takes over on the high from South Korea’s Ko Jin-young.© AFP
Thai teenager Atthaya Thitikul has turn out to be the second-youngest world primary in girls’s golf historical past after a shocking debut 12 months on the LPGA Tour. The 19-year-old, who has triumphed twice on the US-based elite girls’s tour in 2022 and has 12 different top-10 finishes this season, takes over on the high from South Korea’s Ko Jin-young. Ko had been high of the rankings since January however suffered a current wrist damage and withdrew from her house BMW Women Championship final month after two poor rounds.
Atthaya is simply the second participant underneath 20 to achieve primary — New Zealand’s Lydia Ko was 17 when she first topped the rankings in 2015. Ko is now world quantity three.
“It means lots for my group, my household, my supporters and myself,” mentioned Atthaya, who will tee up as primary for the primary time at this week’s LPGA Japan Basic. She completed sixth in South Korea two weeks in the past.
“It’s such an honour to have my title on the high amongst the most important names of the sport.
“It is rather particular to get to the highest however it’s a lot tougher to retain it.
“I nonetheless have lots to study from all of the legends and present gamers each on and off the course.
“I’ll proceed to work laborious for my household, my group, my followers and my nation.”
Atthaya is used to creating historical past. She gained the Thailand Championship in 2017 when she was solely 14.
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