THAILAND’S rising young star Chanettee Wannasaen claimed her second LPGA Tour title in as many years, nailing a final hole birdie for a one-stroke victory over Haeran Ryu of South Korea in the Dana Open.
Shooting her fourth round in the 60s with a closing 67 on Sunday, Wannasaen set new career-low 36- and 54-hole scores and finished on 20-under-par 264 at Highland Meadows Golf Club. The victory comes just two weeks before she defends her title at the Portland Classic and one week after the 20-year-old posted her best major result, a tied 17th finish at the Amundi Evian Championship in France.
Last year, Wannasaen claimed her maiden LPGA Tour title as a Monday qualifier in the middle of a tough rookie season. This year has been different as the young golfer from Chiangmai has showed consistently solid form, chalking up two top-10s prior to the win including a tied third finish at the Mizuho Americas Open.
“Last year, I cannot imagine that I was going to win in Portland because I missed the cut in like nine events, and then Monday qualified and won. But I started this year looking for a second trophy. I think the feeling is very different because I feel like freedom; right now, I feel like I’m going to look for a third trophy. Yeah, I think it’s coming,” said Wannasaen, who pocketed USD262,500 to cross the million-dollar mark in career earnings.
Heading into the final round, Wannasaen led Ryu by three strokes and looked to be cruising to the title. However, the Korean nailed birdies on 10, 12, 14 and 15 to tie for the lead on 18-under-par.
Winner of last year’s Walmart NW Arkansas Championship as a rookie, Ryu dropped a shot at the par-four 16th which would ultimately cost her a second LPGA Tour title. With two par fives to finish, both players made birdie on 17 and headed to the 18th hole with Wannasaen in the lead by one shot.
Off the final tee, Ryu found the fairway while Wannasaen’s drive landed in the right fairway bunker. Both players sent their second shots left, with Ryu finding the sand this time and Wannasaen winding up in the rough short of the bunkers. After the Thai player chipped to 15 feet, Ryu almost holed her bunker shot for a guaranteed birdie. First to putt, Wannasaen found the centre of the cup to seal the win.
“Today I’m really nervous, and I got stressed because last year I did not play well in this tournament. And Haeran played really well today. On the last putt, my hand was shaking so hard,” said Wannasaen, who missed the cut at the 2023 Dana Open.
At 20 years, three months and five days, Wannasaen is the youngest player to win on the LPGA Tour this season. She is the third Thai to win this year, joining Patty Tavatanakit (Honda LPGA Thailand) and Atthaya Thitikul (Dow Championship), and is the second Thai winner of the Dana Open following Jasmine Suwannapura in 2018.
Ryu’s runner-up result is her best of the season and earned her a seventh top-10 in 2024, which is the most of any LPGA Tour player without a win. 2023 Dana Open champion Linn Grant of Sweden and Chinese Taipei’s Ssu-Chia Cheng shared third place on 14-under-par, two shots ahead of the Chinese duo of Xiyu Lin and
Mary Liu.
Malaysia’s Kelly Tan failed to make the halfway cut of even-par following rounds of 73 and 71.
