There’s pressure on the LPGA Tour week after week. But there’s even more pressure in making your grand return to your home country, your first since the biggest win of your career.
This week, that pressure falls on Bangkok native Patty Tavatanakit. The 2020/21 Tour rookie said she hasn’t been back to Thailand since before the 2020 Australia swing of events. Now, the 21-year-old is in for a homecoming of sorts as she returns to the Honda LPGA Thailand for the first time as a full-fledged professional on the LPGA Tour and just a few months removed from her major victory at the ANA Inspiration. As an amateur, Tavatanakit finished T43 in 2015 and T42 in 2016 at Siam Country Club, but now her confidence has grown exponentially since her first appearances on the Pattaya Old Course.
“I’m already confident with my game ever since ANA and I feel like I can compete out there even more. If anything, I don't want to get too ahead of myself, because next week, I know the course, I've played there. It's my home country,” said Tavatanakit after her final round at the HSBC Women’s World Championship. “Obviously there's a little bit more pressure because everyone wants me to play well, but you know, seeing what I can do out here and try to carry it on to next week, it's going to be important.”
Tavatanakit said even though it’ll be an exciting experience this week in Chonburi, she said she’ll take it one day at a time and not let anything overwhelm her. “I get to go back home and play in my home country,” said Tavatanakit. “But you know, if anything, it's just another course, another -- it's going to be a tough week again with the weather and everything. It's not going to be easy.”
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