Pattaya – 24 February 2023 – Tour Rookie Natthakritta Vongtaveelap seized the halfway lead at the Honda LPGA Thailand 2023 at the Siam Country Club Old Course that saw an impressive turnout of 9,113 spectators at today’s round two. With an outstanding display of controlled aggression, Natthakritta shot a seven-under-par 65 to lead by one stroke on 132. Sweden’s Maja Stark had a five-under 67 to move into second place, while Celine Boutier, Nelly Korda, Emily Kristine Pedersen, Jenny Shin and Jaravee Boonchant shared third place on 10-under 134.
After the second round of its 16th edition, where a good number of the world’s leading players are still in the hunt for the title and also battling it out for the Honda Accord e:HEV, e:HEV TECH variant hole-in-one prize, Natthakritta Vongtaveelap appears to have been at the top of the game for some time – but this is not the case as the 20-year old earned her spot at Honda LPGA Thailand 2023 by winning the tournament’s annual National Qualifiers in January.
She said after her round: “Today I played really well. I hit my tee shot really straight, so it made it easier on the second shot. I also putted great today, especially on the back nine. The front nine had a bit of ups-and-downs. I’m not sure why that was the case.”
Commenting on her first LPGA event as a rookie and how nice it has been to be able to play in front of family and friends in Thailand, she added: “That is really cool. I was excited and nervous to play in front of Thai people and the fans. This is my first time, so it’s a big deal for me.”
Maja Stark, who had a 66 in round 1 and followed it with a 67 today, said after her bogey-free second round: “I actually felt like I played better today. I think it was just luck yesterday that I made a few shots, but it was very steady today, I only really had to save one par. I hit solid irons. I’m also just trying to focus more on the pins and trust my swing.”
Heading into the weekend, one behind Natthakritta, Stark added: “I’ve been trying to get better at handling nerves, but I feel like I’m going to have nerves the whole weekend, so I’m just going to keep playing aggressively. I’ll keep putting my foot on the pedal, as I said, and try to go low. I just want to try to make as many birdies as I can.”
Happy with her finish and flying the French flag with some Thai heritage, Celine Boutier said: “I feel it’s almost like my second home. I still have a little bit of family here and so it’s always nice to come back. It definitely feels nice to be playing well here.”
“I worked a lot on my long game. But coming back from the off-season, I didn’t feel very comfortable until now, and I feel like I’m just getting back into the groove this week, so it feels nice to be able to hit it close again,” Boutier added.
World number two Nelly Korda had an eagle chip-in at the par-5 10th hole and said afterwards: “I didn’t hit my drive very well, and I had a 3-wood. I was in between clubs on my second shot, so I opted for the 3-wood off a downhill slope to chase it back there, and I hit it a little long. It was an undulating green with not much room to work with, a little downhill left-to-righter, and then coming back left, and I just landed it perfectly.”
“Overall, I just hit it (the ball) a little closer today and was obviously trying to take advantage of the reachable par-5s. Then I stuck it to about a foot on hole number 2, and then I was just hitting it closer, but at the end of the day, I wasn’t making putts like I was yesterday. Hopefully I have a good weekend, but any time that I can put myself in contention and battle for the title is super special,” Korda shared.
“I think I was struggling a bit on the greens on the front nine, but feeling comfortable,” Danish Emily Kristine Pedersen said of her five-under 67. “Then Mikey (caddie) advised me to commit to the line I pick instead of trying to figure everything out. Then I holed a few good putts and hit some good shots, and I followed that up with some solid golf on the back nine.”
Speaking of her trend, Pedersen said: “It means we’ve been working on the right things. I still think there are a few things to work on, and I think it’s helped that I’ve moved to Florida. Normally, in Denmark, I’m indoors and not chipping or putting for three to four months.”
Twenty-three-year-old Thai, Jaravee Boonchant, who held a share of the lead after the first round, reflected on her game today, “The front nine was kind of rough. I didn’t hit that many fairways, and I put myself in positions that made it hard to find the green, but I was able to do it and I just kept fighting hard. I was trying to relax and play as well as I could. Overall, I’m pretty happy with how I finished today.”
This is the 16th edition of the Honda LPGA Thailand, and it carries prize money of US$1.7 million, of which the winner will receive US$255,000. The field includes 72 of the world’s best women’s golfers and invitees, who will also be keen on the lookout the Honda Accord e:HEV, e:HEV TECH variant at the course, the prize for a hole-in-one on the 16th hole at Siam Country Club Old Course in Pattaya Chonburi province. The tournament ends on Sunday and is featuring the first return of fans since the pandemic.
