Five Takeaways From Patty Tavatanakit’s Wire to Wire ANA Inspiration Victory

Photo provided by Ben Harpring

1) Patty Tavatanakit Soars Ahead of the Field for First Victory

Patty Tavatanakit won the first major of the LPGA Tour with a two-shot victory for her first career win and the first player from Thailand to win the 50th ANA Inspiration and second major champion from her homeland alongside Ariya Jutanugarn. It's the fourth wire-to-wire win in the tournament's history, with her name emblazoned alongside legends Juli Inkster, Amy Alcott, and Karrie Webb. The victory gives her five years of status on tour and might very well deliver the 103rd ranked player in the world to the Olympic stage, beyond her imagination of goals for this season.

“My dad kind of told me like if anything, you should keep your goal as having under 100 Rolex Rankings and top 60 for CME.That's just been kind of my goal at the back of my mind. I really want to win. I told Grant, my coach about it, but I didn't expect to win here,” Tavatanakit said after hopping into Poppie’s Pond.

The former UCLA Bruin played a separate course from everyone else, with her blazing power delivering an average of 323 yards off the tee this week, leading to drives that took flight off the tee and bounded like a jackrabbit once it hit the Bermuda grass caked by the desert sun. She out drove Bryson DeChambeau’s current PGA Tour season tour average of 320.8 yards.

The key to her victory was only focusing on what the beaming Coachella Valley sun reflected off her Ray-Ban sunglasses.

“I kept walking into my shots kind of slower to calm myself down every time I hit, and I feel like that was really important for today,” Tavatanakit told Golf Channel's Jerry Foltz on the 18th green. That calmness led the rookie to hit 85% of her greens in regulation, capitalizing on her booming tee shots.

The separation emerged Saturday, as she started the day with a one-shot lead and a multitude of major champions forming the chase group. The rookie birdied the opening three holes to open her first career weekend atop the leaderboard. If the 2019 ANA Inspiration low amateur showed any nerves under her sunglasses, they might have emerged on her third shot into the 18th, as her ball stopped a revolution short of trickling into the water. Tavatanakit pitched her wedge to a few feet from the flag, dousing the flames of a possible crooked number with an up and down. It kept her at 14 under par, with a five-shot lead heading into Sunday.

She stepped up to the tee with multiple past major champions making big pushes early Sunday, with Lydia Ko starting three-under through two and Inbee Park birdieing her first three to get within four. Her short game gave her a cushion, chipping in for eagle as recent ANA Champions tend to do on the 2nd hole, to get to 16 under par.

It was even-keeled the rest of the way, as the 21-year-old showed maturity beyond her years in answering the bell. From playing army golf in the 11th to still find the green in regulation to nearly chipping it in from an awkward lie on the 17th, she ended it with a smooth drive on the 18th and closed with a par to become the first rookie to win the ANA Inspiration since Juli Inkster.

The Thai rookie's future is as bright as the California sun, as her next five years are booked on the LPGA Tour with her splash into Poppie’s Pond.

“My goal for my career is a Grand Slam, and now I have one checked off,” Tavatanakit stated at her victory press conference. With her focus leading her to work out tomorrow at noon, she's already on her way.

2) Lydia Ko’s Historic 2nd Place Finish

In the finale of Breaking Bad, Walter White walks over the bodies of the neo-nazis that he has just gunned down. Then, a phone rings, quietly saying, "Lydia, have you met Lydia, Lydia the Lady." Tavatanakit had cleared the field, and Lydia Ko called to remind the world of the former No. 1’s immense talent.

Starting the day at six-under, Ko eviscerated the course with a 29 on the opening side. The momentum slowed down after the 11th, as she missed a 15-foot eagle putt on the par 5. The two-time major champion dazzled her way through the Dinah Shore Course, matching Lorena Ochoa’s ANA Inspiration record 62 in 2005, and tied a career low round.

“Early in the week I was talking with Sean (Foley) and he said make sure that I'm out there hitting with 100% conviction. I said, Commitment? And he said, conviction,” Ko said.

The Kiwi has dominated with conviction on Sunday before at a major, posting a 63 at the 2015 Evian Championship. Her 16 under would’ve won all iterations of the ANA Inspiration but two, and unfortunately for Ko, she ran into the buzz saw that was Patty Tavatanakit. After play, she shared that she doesn't consider herself back to her old form but born anew.

“I've had so many different experiences, ups and downs, since I was world No. 1 to this point, and I think at the end of the day I'm not going to be the same person anymore. All I can do is keep working hard and be at the position that I'm meant to be,” the 15-time winner said.

Ko has finished in the top 10 in six of her last eight starts. It doesn’t feel like long before the current her hoists a trophy up for the first time since the 2018 Mediheal Championship.

3) Ally Ewing Creates Separation for U.S. Solheim Cup Points List

Heading into the first major of the year, Ally Ewing had a one-point edge for the final U.S. Solheim Cup spot over Angela Stanford, 132.5 to 131.5. In a Solheim Cup year, U.S Solheim Cup points are worth double. Over the whole qualifying period, majors are worth double. Players are awarded points for top 20 finishes.

Ally Ewing struck at the same tournament she held the 18-hole lead at in 2019, moving up the leaderboard with the low round of the day Saturday of 66 to play in the final pairing Sunday, vaulting from three under to nine under.

She stumbled early Sunday, with a double bogey after hitting it OB and a bogey to follow on the 3rd and 4th holes. She recovered with three birdies over her next seven holes, finishing at 10 under and T7.

It’s the inverse of the opportunity Stacy Lewis presented herself, who was in 6th place in the US Solheim Cup points list coming into the week yet couldn't capitalize on Sunday. The former World No. 1 got the green light from the air traffic controller on what was presumed to be her final nine of the week, as Lewis lit up the front nine with five birdies. She cleaned up the 9th with a clutch birdie to finish the comeback to jettison to the cut line's right side. The stellar run booked her a ticket for two more days in Rancho Mirage, which were crucial in the jockeying for position in the U.S. Solheim Cup race. She posted a third-round 67 to move to T17. Sunday, Lewis ran out of gas to land in the top 20, shooting a 74 to finish T40.

4) The Four Core Values of the Major Champion

On a question asked by Beth Ann Nichols of Golfweek, Tavatanakit whipped out her phone and shared the four core values that she believed today.

“No matter what happens today my core values are, one, my parents will be proud of me and still love me no matter what; two, I'm already so proud of myself to be able to play good the last three days and just be a better player already since last year; and three, I'm still going to be the same Patty who appreciates the love and care from the people that matters in Patty's life; and four, at the end of the day there is always room for improvement and I won't stop trying to be or get better.

I feel like those words, I just keep like making it sink in to my system, and I really think those core values helped me to win today,” she shared.

Those are universal to any walk of life, not just becoming the best golfer one can be.

5) Shanshan Feng Returns to the LPGA After over a Year Away from Competitive Play

Shanshan Feng set the tone after telling Amy Rogers of Golf Channel that she primarily focused her time away from the game on what she would have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This week was her first LPGA Tour round since the 2019 CME Group Tour Championship, and the former world no. 1 did not disappoint. She was in the final pairing Saturday and finished T3 at 11 under.

“I really didn't think I was going to make the cut. My goal was just to shoot one round in red number and just enjoy the whole time on the course. I think I've enjoyed the whole four days. Doesn't matter if I was playing well or not. I was really enjoying the whole time,” Feng shared after play.

It's her best result in a major since the 2019 Evian Championship, where the 10-time winner finished T2. She will make her next start in Los Angeles.

Bets of the Week Analysis

Jin Young Ko (+1000)- T7

Mi Hyang Lee (+15000)- T14

Lexi Thompson (+1400)- T36

Stacy Lewis (+6600)- T40

Hinako Shibuno (+12500)- MC

No one had a puncher's chance against Tavatanakit this week, with the world No. 1 birdieing her final three holes to move up the leaderboard and Mi Hyang Lee putting up a spirited seven-under weekend to finish T14. The LPGA heads to Hawaii next, as the Bets of the Week curse of no back-to-back wins continues towards Billy Goat Curse status.

2021

Units Bet: 125

Units Won: 105

ROI: -16%

*10 units allocated to year-long money race bet*

Current Money Title Positions

Lexi Thompson- 4th

Brooke Henderson- 15th