PATTAYA: Rookie Jaravee Boonchant is one of the surprise names at the top of the crowded leaderboard after the first round of the Honda LPGA Thailand tournament on Thursday at the Siam Country Club in Pattaya.
The 23-year-old Bangkok native shot eight birdies and one bogey on her way to a 7-under-par 65. She is tied for the lead alongside Anna Nordqvist of Sweden, Nasa Hataoka of Japan, Xiyu Lin of China and Jennifer Kupcho of the United States
Jaravee, a Duke University graduate currently ranked 238th in the world, earned her LPGA Tour card along with four other Thai players at a qualifying tournament in Alabama this past December.
Birdies came in bunches, as is the custom at the Old Course, with three more players tied at 6 under and a large group at 5 under par. The latter include world No.4 and 2022 LPGA Rookie of the Year Atthaya Thitikul and Natthakritta Vongtaveelap, who had to play a qualifier to earn a spot in this week’s $1.7-million Honda event.
Atthaya, who claimed two LPGA titles last year, came close to winning the Honda LPGA Thailand in 2021 when she lost to Ariya Jutanugarn by one shot.
Among the rest of the Thai contingent, Moriya Jutanugarn is at 4 under alongside world No.1 Lydia Ko of New Zealand, second-ranked Nelly Korda and fifth-ranked Ko Jin-Young of South Korea.
Moriya said she was thrilled to be playing in front of an enthusiastic home crowd after the Covid pandemic.
“We haven’t had that (many fans) for the last two years, and this is the first time since we came back that it’s fully 100 percent,” she said.
Ko, meanwhile, has come into the Thailand event in ominous form. The Seoul-born 25-year-old has won three events in her last four starts.
Among the remaining Thai players, Pornanong Phatlum, Arpichaya Yubol and Wichanee Meechai are at 2 under par, former world No.1 Ariya Jutanugarn is at 1 under, Pajaree Anannarukarn and Chanettee Wannasaen are at even par and former major winner Patty Tavatanakit is at 2 over par.
Co-leader Kupcho carded five birdies and an eagle for her opening 65 and a share of the lead.
She said she felt very much at home, having finished in a tie for sixth at the same event in Thailand last yer.
“I think I’m really comfortable with this place. I played really well last year,” the 25-year-old American said.
Defending champion Nanna Koerstz Madsen of Denmark struggled on Thursday, becoming one of just five players not to shoot even par or better, finishing at 1 over.