On February 24, 2018, 15-year-old Atthaya Thitikul became the first Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) champion and, four years later, on the eve of the last tournament of the year, the Thai star is the very young and new world number one.

Atthaya Thitikul becomes world number one

-The R&A-

The event was developed by the R&A and the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) to give the region's top women amateurs the chance to shine on a world-class stage, but no one expected that in just 56 months old, a player in this inaugural championship would reach No. 19 in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings. As WAAP is about to kick off at Siam Country Club in Pattaya, Thailand, Atthaya Thitikul did just that this week at just XNUMX, reaching the top of the world women's rankings for the first time. .

Atthaya Thitikul found huge inspiration in her Thai teammates as well as the top 86 players from 21 countries.

Author of an exceptional track record, Thitikul, resident of Bangkok, won the first WAAP, also finishing second in the 2019 edition in Japan. In her first season as a professional on the Ladies European Tour, she won Race to the Costa del Sol (Order of Merit), Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year awards. In 2022, she has already won two victories in her first season on the LPGA Tour.

At 19 years, eight months and 11 days, Thitikul is only the second player in history under the age of 20 to reach the rank of world number one New Zealander Lydia Ko was 17 years, nine months and nine days old when she reached number one in February 2015. At 14 years and four months, Thitikul became the youngest golfer to win a professional golf tournament at LET's Thailand Championship in 2017.

Martin Slumbers, Managing Director of The R&A, said: “We had high hopes when we opened the first Asia-Pacific Women's Amateur Championship in 2018 because we knew how many talented young women amateurs there were at the very top level in this region. We thought there were players who could progress quickly to the top level of the discipline, but the speed at which some of the best players have succeeded has been incredible.

“Atthaya is a terrific golfer and personality and deserves huge credit for reaching world number one. We couldn't be more proud to see our inaugural champion do so well, so quickly and I can't wait to see what else she will accomplish.”

Thitikul's triumph was followed in 2019 by Japan's Yuka Yasuda when she won on home soil and Mizuki Hashimoto in Abu Dhabi in 2021. Others who have played in the championship have won major championships before, with Yuka Saso winning the US Women's Open and Patty Tavatankit the ANA inspiration in 2021.

Saki Baba, winner of the United States Amateur Championship in Japan and number four on the World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR), is the highest-ranked player on the course this week, followed by compatriot Yuna Araki at number 12. The Korean Jiyoo Lim is the top-ranked non-Japanese player ranked 14th, while Thailand's challenge will be led by Natthakritta Vongtaveelap, who is 36th on the WAGR.

The WAAP Championship was powered by the R&A and the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) to inspire future generations of female golfers and provides the champion with an unprecedented launch pad early in her career through byes in several women's major championships and other elite amateur championships.

The Asia Pacific Women's Amateur Championship is proudly supported by Rolex, Nippon Kabaya Ohayo Holdings, Trust Golf, Hana Financial Group and Samsung.

For more information on the Asia-Pacific Women's Amateur Championship, visit the championship website:  www.randa.org/WAAP .