Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul has crowned a dream season by finishing third in the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España and thus certifying her resounding victory in the Race to Costa del Sol, the order of merit of the Ladies European Tour sponsored by Turismo Costa del Sol, with a lead of 1,638.07 points.
The best Spaniard in this ranking was Carlota Ciganda from Navarre, fourteenth thanks to her spectacular victory in the season finale at Los Naranjos Golf Club, an Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España that rounds off her impeccable record. In 2022, the Navarre native will seek her second title in this order of merit of the circuit, which she already won in 2012, succeeding Raquel Carriedo and Paula Martí, the two Spaniards who had won it previously.
In her impressive debut on the circuit, Atthaya Thitikul has only finished outside the top six on three occasions in all the individual tournaments she has played. Following in the footsteps of Laura Davies, Carlota Ciganda and Esther Henseleit, the Thai star has become only the fourth player to win both the Race to Costa del Sol and the Rookie of the Year title in the same season.
Thitikul has also become the youngest winner of this award, surpassing the record set by Charley Hull.
“It’s a pleasure to have been able to play on the Costa del Sol this week already as the Race to Costa del Sol champion. It means everything to me. It is an honor to have won this title in my first full season on the Ladies European Tour and I would like to thank Turismo Costa del Sol for their support,” said the Thai player.
The rising star of world golf secured the Race to Costa del Sol crown with her second place in the Aramco Saudi Ladies International, then finished sixth in the Aramco Team Series – Jeddah and third in the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España, bringing her final score to 3,591.96 points.
The 18-year-old has lifted two LET trophies this year, the Tipsport Czech Ladies Open and VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open, adding to the two titles she claimed as an amateur at the 2017 and 2019 Ladies European Thailand Championship.
“It has been a very busy and exciting year because in 2020 I did not play because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Last year’s efforts have paid off,” Thitikul continued.
One of the highlights for the young star, who has risen from 308th to 22nd in the Rolex Rankings, was her second place finish at the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open.
“I’m very proud to have finished second in a links, given that in my victories in Switzerland and the Czech Republic the conditions were similar to what we have in Thailand,” she explained.
After finishing her first full season on the LET, the teenager is set to play in the final of the LPGA qualifying school, where she will try to earn her LPGA card. Despite continuing to accumulate merits throughout the year, Thitikul believes she still has work ahead of her.
“This year has been impressive and some say I have already achieved success, but this is only the beginning. My goal is to improve every day. Even if you win tournaments, you have to keep improving,” the Thai finished.
For his part, the president of Turismo Costa del Sol, Francisco Salado, who presented the trophy of the Race to Costa del Sol designed by David Marshall, Scottish sculptor based in Benahavís, wanted to congratulate the champion and stressed the importance of this ranking in the promotional strategy of the region.
“This event is giving us a lot of satisfaction with the different tournaments of the Ladies European Tour ranking linked to our destination, a strong commitment to women’s golf, both at professional and amateur level, which is already giving us an important brand and image diffusion in markets of special interest for the destination, which have a high percentage of women golfers such as Germany, Switzerland, France, USA, Canada, Asia.”
Turismo Costa del Sol has been betting on golf as a tourist product for many years and Francisco Salado insisted that the entity will continue along this line: “We will continue to do so, with a personalized offer that influences loyalty to grow, because everyone finds a Costa del Sol to suit them and, therefore, we will continue working to show them that we have a perfect destination, all year round”.
In addition, the representative of the entity pointed out that “the Costa del Sol is clear, the promotion of women’s golf is especially interesting because women golfers spend more and enjoy a wider complementary offer”.
Alexandra Armas, executive director of the Ladies European Tour, congratulated the Thai player and thanked Turismo Costa del Sol for its support: “Atthaya is a worthy winner of the first Race to Costa del Sol and we are delighted to present her with this award. She has been an example of consistency in her first season on the circuit and this title rewards how hard she has worked to become a champion. I would also like to thank Turismo Costa del Sol for their constant support in a difficult year for golf. We are looking forward to the start of the 2021 season”.
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About Turismo y Planificación Costa del Sol, partner of the Ladies European Tour
In 2020 Costa Del Sol Tourism and Planning partnered with the Ladies European Tour to sponsor the circuit’s order of merit, which has since been renamed Race to Costa Del Sol.
The work of Costa del Sol Tourism and Planning is focused on promoting the Costa del Sol Golf Coast by advising and supporting all institutions and entities related to this industry. The Costa del Sol is a priority region for the IAGTO (International Association of Golf Tour Operators), which has always emphasized its predominant role in continental Europe.
The Costa del Sol, located in the Andalusian province of Malaga and the Mediterranean area of the coast of Cadiz, is the preferred destination for all golfers looking for first class courses and ideal weather for the practice of this sport throughout the year. With more than seventy golf courses, many of them considered masterpieces in terms of their design, the Costa del Sol is recognized for its prestige worldwide. In addition, its courses have hosted historic and unforgettable competitions such as the 1997 Ryder Cup, several editions of the World Golf Championships, the Estrella Damm Andalucía Masters and the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España of the Ladies European Tour, among others.
Year after year, golfers of all levels come to this unique destination to enjoy golf and its many attractions, such as the top class restaurants, its dynamic nightlife, the magnificent commercial establishments or the wide range of hotels, apartments and villas that stand out for their wide range of services, without forgetting the wonderful Andalusian landscapes or the countless cultural attractions of the area.
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