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By Kent Gray
Atthaya Thitikul was just 14 years, four months and 19 days old when she entered golf lore as the youngest winner of a professional tournament. It seems the now 18-year-old Thai has been hurriedly distancing herself from the competition ever since that magical week at the Ladies European Thailand Championship in July 2017.
Thitikul now counts four LET titles to her name, two of which have come in a thus far phenomenal 2021. The triumphs at the Czech Open in June and the Swiss Open in September plus another 10 top-10s saw her arrive in Dubai with a 1400 point – and seemingly unassailable – lead over Sanna Nuutinen in the LET’s Race to Costa del Sol.
With three individual events – including this week’s Dubai Moonlight Classic – until the end of the season, it seems European No.1 will soon be etched into her impressive résumé. Not that Thitikul, who has skyrocketed from 308 to 28 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, is getting ahead of herself. This is golf after all, a game that only ever promises the unexpected.
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“Everyone knows the situation with the Race to Costa del Sol. I’m not focusing on it because every week is not the same… especially this week [under lights],” Thitikul said. “I’m working on something with my putting which I’m not confident on, but it should be okay if I adjust it. Hopefully it’s good.”
Thitikul has not played since Switzerland but has not sat about during her month away from the LET.
“I was still doing golf. I spent 14 days in a hotel for quarantine when I was back home, but I was still working with my coach – he came in from Bangkok. Then I had a week before I left [for] Dubai and I was busy working with sponsors on photoshoots. It was nice to take some time out of competitions and get some rest ahead of the end of the season.
“It’s nice to have the three events [Dubai, Saudi and the Andalucia Costa Del Sol Open De Espana] in a row because I already took that time off after Switzerland. It’s nice to be back and here in Dubai – especially with this different event and there is no cut. I hope to keep the momentum going for this first event.
“I haven’t been to Dubai before. This is my first time playing night golf as well. Hopefully it will turn out to be a good week.”
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