Major Winners and Olympians Patty Tavatanakit and Ariya Jutanugarn headline 2021 Women’s Scottish Open field
Photo Credits to GettyImages
09 August 2021 – Eleven Thai golfers are set to compete in the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open at the magnificent Dumbarnie Links, as Thai-based technology company Trust Golf embarks on a new sponsorship deal with the tournament formerly known as the Ladies Scottish Open. Founded by Dr. Prin Singhanart, Trust Golf works with the next generation of Thai golf professionals and is dedicated to growing the game through technology, education, and innovation.
Major champions Patty Tavatanakit and Ariya Jutanugarn headline the field over Scotland’s newest links, designed to critical acclaim by renowned course architect Clive Clark. The pair will arrive in Leven, Fife, fresh from representing Thailand in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Tavatanakit is currently 12th on the World Rolex Ranking and 2nd on the LPGA Race to CME Globe. The 21-year-old arrives in Scotland after the best season of her life, one that has produced her first major victory in the ANA Inspiration along with another six top 10 finishes.
Former World No 1 Ariya Jutanugarn is one of Thailand’s most decorated female golfers, with 12 LPGA Tour titles including 2 majors. Since 2016 she has finished in the top ten in at least one major a year.
The twelve-time LPGA winner, Ariya Jutanugarn explained, “I love coming to Scotland, I have great memories of winning in 2018, so it feels special to come back, but it’s a totally different golf course and I know it will be tough for me. The new golf course this year looks beautiful and I am so proud to see Trust Golf creating more opportunities for Thai golfers. There are so many young golfers in Thailand and their determination and hard work is really inspiring to me.”
Moriya Jutanugarn joins younger sister Ariya at Dumbarnie. Both are well-experienced links golf players with top finishes in the Women’s Scottish Open. Ariya was champion in 2018 and finished 5th in 2019 when Moriya finished 2nd. The dynamic duo recently won the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, a team event held in Michigan.
Jasmine Suwannapura will be returning to Scotland after she finished runner up in the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Troon last year, her best major championship finish.
Former No 1 World Ranked Amateur Atthaya Thitikul has her sights set on this year’s Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open. Thitikul already has a strong track record golfing in the UK and is a two-time Smyth Salver winner as leading amateur in the 2018 and 2019 AIG Women’s Open. She is in the Ladies European Tour history books as the circuit’s youngest winner, winning the 2017 Ladies European Thailand Championship at age 14. Currently ranked 86th on the Rolex World Rankings, Thitikul recently came 2nd in the 2021 Honda LPGA Thailand, losing out by one stroke to Ariya Jutanugarn.
Among the other qualified players is Wichanee Meechai, who has three top-15 finishes this season, including 12th place in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship; two time LET winner Pornanong Phatlum; and Pajaree Anannarukarn, who recently beat Emma Talley in a playoff at the ISPS Handa World Invitational to secure her first LPGA Tour victory.
As the new title sponsor, Trust Golf aim to create more playing opportunities for rising Thai players and as such, will invite players who are not otherwise exempt into the field at Dumbarnie Links. Among the invites are Thai golfers, Prima Thammaraks, a Symetra Tour card holder with three top 15 finishes this season as she chases playing status on the LPGA Tour. Chanettee Wannasaen is rising professional star who won the qualifying event for the 2021 Honda LPGA Thailand as a 16 year old. Trichat Cheenglab takes her place alongside Thammaraks and Wannasaen. Cheenglab’s career best finish came in the 2019 the PTT Thailand LPGA Masters, where she finished 6th. The 4th invite will be given to the winner of the Rose Ladies Series Qualifier at Scotscraig Golf Club on the 7th August.
The new tournament title sponsor, Trust Golf, is a Thai-based technology enterprise, founded by Dr. Prin Singhanart, working with the next generation of Thai golf professionals with the intentions to now expand internationally with the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open as their first international venture, partnering with the Scottish Government and VisitScotland. Having supported the Women’s Scottish Open since 2007, and recently announcing a further five-year funding agreement with investment of up to £6m through to 2025, the Scottish Government and VisitScotland are amongst the most prolific supporters of women’s golf globally having hosted the most successful Solheim Cup to date in 2019.
New tournament host venue, Dumbarnie Links is one of Scotland’s newest courses yet most lauded as it made an immediate impression on golf aficionados worldwide when it opened in May 2020, already establishing itself as an unmissable golfing experience on the east coast. Situated on land that has a mile and a half of sea frontage with panoramic views over the Firth of Forth, it sits comfortably amongst the likes of St Andrews, Kingsbarns and Crail located just down the coastline.
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