After missing three months and eight tournaments on the LPGA Tour, the young star from Thailand is back on the course! Atthaya Thitikul started her 2024 season at The Club at Carlton Woods. From the performance put forth by the Thai native during the second round of the Chevron Championship, it must be hard to believe that Thitikul had just come back from a long hiatus.

On the leaderboard at the Chevron Championship, the 21-year-old pro has tied for the lead after scoring 8 under 67 along with Jin Hee Im. As Thitikul looks forward to winning a title with her first event of the season, she shared what has changed in her since she was advised to take a break from the sport.

Atthaya Thitikul talks about how the recent hiatus changed things

In late March, Atthaya Thitikul’s agent told Golf Week that the tendon in her left thumb had been injured. To not aggravate it further, the doctor suggested rest for six to eight weeks, which caused a delay in her campaign for the 2024 season. Thitikul was set to start her season with the FORD Championship but chose to opt-out from the same and decided on the first women’s major as her comeback event on the greens.

Evidently, returning after such a long period of time requires some adjustments, and at the post-round presser, Thitikul shared some insights from the days of her recovery and explained how the days she spent without golf affected her, she said, “I think the mindset was kind of change after, you know, injury and then stay in my hometown. So I kind of have a lot of the time with my family, my friends out there. And then, yeah, it’s kind of relax.”

Trending

Is Scottie Scheffler Taking a Paternity Leave to Support Wife Meredith and Their Baby?

April 25, 2024 04:16 PM EDT

Rory McIlroy Becomes a Laughing Stock in Golf World as His PGA Tour Breakthrough Sparks Huge Doubts

April 29, 2024 04:06 PM EDT

Keegan Bradley Pushes for Greg Norman and Co.’s Presence in PGA Tour, as ‘New Rumors’ Raise Confusion

May 01, 2024 02:40 AM EDT

Days After Son Charlie Suffered ‘Major’ Heartbreak, Tiger Woods’s US Open Move Sparks Heated Debate Online

May 03, 2024 03:22 AM EDT

Has Byron Nelson’s Legacy Been Destroyed by PGA Tour? Golf World’s Massive Outrage Over $9.5M Event Explained

May 02, 2024 04:00 PM EDT

Get instantly notified of the hottest Golf stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

However, for the LPGA Pro teeing it up on the greens once again is far better than being at home. As golf takes precedence over many things in her life, Thitikul revealed how grateful she was to play the game again. “Coming back being just like just be able to play golf again just the most important things more than everything,” expressed Thitikul as she moved to round three with a 33.0% chance of winning her first major.

Following the Thai is another remarkable and current world number one, Nelly Korda. Although she is only solo third on the leaderboard, surprisingly, Korda has more chances of winning the Chevron Championship than Jin Hee Im.

Nelly Korda has the second-highest chance to write history 

At The Club at Carlton Woods, Nelly Korda might write her name in the history books of the LPGA Tour. Per the women’s circuit, the 26-year-old has a 31.2% chance of winning her third major and successfully winning in her fifth consecutive start, which is more than Jin Hee Im’s 8.1% chance.

If Korda does pull through another silverware, she will join the LPGA Tour Hall of Famers, Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam. She will become the only player in the last 18 years, as Sorenstam delivered the feat in 2004–05, to win on five consecutive starts on the LPGA Tour. However, tying the history isn’t on the mind of the 9-time LPGA Tour winner.

She shared that it “just comes with a little bit more added pressure” and Korda wouldn’t want to focus more on the historical feat. She loves that people and kids are getting inspired and it’s all she wants from her game at the moment. So, at the Chevron Championship, while Thitikul chases her third and Korda her 10th, who will win the race?