A pair of native daughters were atop the leaderboard after day one of the Honda LPGA Thailand as Patty Tavatanakit and Atthaya Thitikul shared the lead on 8-under 64.
Tavatanakit, the reigning ANA winner, started her day with birdies on No. 1 and 3 en route to a nine-birdie low-round 64, her second-lowest 18-hole score on Tour.
“I feel like that putt went in (on No. 3) and I just feel the speed and the read for the whole day pretty good. I feel like it matches up pretty well,” said Tavatanakit.
“So wasn’t expecting that at all because I feel like I didn’t really get like a solid putting practice because the greens here are so slopey.
“If anything, I feel like I judged everything really well and I’m pleased with my round today.”
Tavatanakit, who averages 280.8 yards off the tee (4th on Tour), said her length was a benefit on the soft Pattaya Old Course due to heavy rains the night before.
“I feel like I had a lot of short irons in compared to other people,” said Tavatanakit.
“Like I spin it back to the hole instead of like having to land it by short. And I just feel like the whole game itself, being long, just gives my a little bit of advantage.
“But I still had to execute and play well.”
Thitikul, an 18-year old competing in her first event as a tour pro, highlighted her maiden professional round with two eagles on Nos. 10 and 18.
“Well, No. 10 was like — for 10 and 18 I never think that it’s going to go in, but just take it like easy as I can,” said Thitikul.
“Like I’m not a good chipper, so 18 I decided to putting, but 10 I shoot it and I was surprise how good it is, that one.”
Nanna Koerstz Madsen, who is paired with the co-leaders for the opening two rounds, was T3 on 7 under alongside another Thai star in Ariya Jutanugarn.
Caroline Masson, Hannah Green and Lydia Ko were T6 on 6 under, while six more players were one further back on 5 under, which included Carlota Ciganda and Brittany Lincicome.
2021 Honda LPGA Thailand
Top-5 Leaders: Round 1
Pos-Player-To Par-(Rd 1)
1. Patty Tavatanakit -8 (64)
1. Atthaya Thitikul -8 (64)
3. Nanna Koerstz Madsen -7 (65)
3. Ariya Jutanugarn -7 (65)
5. Caroline Masson -6 (66)
5. Hannah Green -6 (66)
5. Lydia Ko -6 (66)
Material from the LPGA Tour Communications was used to compile this report.
