Teenage sensation turned major winner and star of Asian golf, Patty Tavatanakit reflects on rediscovering top form and returning to Riyadh this week for the Aramco Team Series.
Golf always seemed to come easy to Patty Tavatanakit. She started playing in her native Thailand aged eight after being inspired by Tiger Woods and, after her blossoming talent earned her a scholarship at UCLA, followed in her idol’s footsteps by dazzling the college scene.
Tavatanakit won on the US second-tier Symetra Tour while still in her teens, progressed to the LPGA Tour just months later and the following year broke her duck in spectacular style, beating the cream of the women’s game to win a first major at the 2021 ANA Inspiration.
But then the success dried up. Tavatanakit played 64 ranking tournaments over almost three years without a win, a run that sent her tumbling from top 10 in the world to 86th – until February, when she won the Aramco Saudi Ladies International at Riyadh Golf Club.
Victory at the most lucrative event outside of the five women’s majors proved to be like breaking a dam, and Tavatanakit followed it up with another triumph the very next week in front of a home crowd at the Honda LPGA Thailand.
Now back in the top 25, she returns to Saudi Arabia and the scene of that breakthrough win to play the final leg of this year’s Aramco Team Series in Riyadh, where she is hoping to pick up where she left off on her last visit.
“I have a lot of good memories here,” she tells City AM. “A lot of good shots are replaying in my head, and I’m just really excited to be back here. It’s good vibes. The win earlier this year meant a lot to me, just being able to execute that and pull it off.
“I’ve definitely felt more athletic this year. I was really focused on trying to just play golf and not think too much about the technical stuff, like I did in the past year. So that has been working really well.
“Aramco Team Series events are some of my favorite events to play. They’re such well-rounded events, and being able to win one with a really big purse was the cherry on top. I was really glad I was able to do that.”
Since then Tavatanakit, 25, has cemented her return to form with four more top-10 finishes, including third at major the Evian Championship, and will be among the favourites when play begins in Riyadh on Thursday.
Tavatanakit, 25, ended a drought by winning the Saudi Ladies International in February (Image: LET)
There she faces competition from English pair Charley Hull and Georgia Hall also in the field – both former Aramco Team Series event winners – as well as US Solheim Cup star Alison Lee, defending champion in the individual competition.
“I feel like I always enjoy playing in the Aramco Team Series events, just because it’s a different environment,” adds Tavatanakit. “You get to meet new people, meet the champ-amateurs, and connect with more LET girls. I feel like I’m just making more memories with these girls.”