SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) — It took 73 holes, but a birdie in the first extra frame of a sudden-death playoff by Patty Tavatanakit (Bangkok, Thailand) sealed victory at the fifth annual Sioux Falls GreatLIFE Challenge Sunday afternoon for her third win of the season.
The UCLA alumna found the bottom of the cup for birdie on No. 18 during regulation at Willow Run Golf Course to cap a final round 8-under par 62 and take the clubhouse lead of 13-under overall. Tavatanakit then watched as Yujeong Son (Busan, Republic of Korea) drained her own birdie out of the final pairing, three groups later. From there, they went back to No. 18 tee and the rest is history.
“Definitely very surreal, I didn’t expect to get this win,” said Tavatanakit, who entered the day six shots back of the lead. “I just hoped to play well and climb the leaderboard for a bigger check to move up the money list. I wanted to be the first player out here to win three times this year, so I accomplished my goal and hard work really pays off.”
As for Tavatanakit’s third time in the winner’s circle, the Battlefield Promotion to the LPGA Tour is no longer in play. The change was part of the overall restructuring with the installment of Q-Series in 2018. Although a three-time champion on the “Road to the LPGA” did previously get a position on the LPGA’s priority list for the remainder of the LPGA season, she did not receive official LPGA Tour membership.
Regardless, Tavatanakit plans to compete in each of the final four events on the Symetra Tour calendar and fully prepare for what looks like her rookie season on the LPGA in 2020. For now, three wins in eight events even had Tavatanakit somewhat shocked about the body of work since her debut in June at the Island Resort Championship.
“It’s hard to get a picture of what I’ve been able to accomplish,” Tavatanakit said. “I set my goals and have lived in the moment really well for the past three months since turning pro. I just focus on what I need to do to be a better player. All I want is to improve every time I step on the course. It’s pretty unreal for how far I have come and what the future holds too.”
(Sioux Falls GreatLIFE Challenge)
