Teenager Chanettee Wannasaen became the first Monday qualifier to win on the LPGA Tour since 2015, firing a scintillating nine-under 63 to claim the Portland Classic by four strokes.
Her Sunday charge included an early five-hole stretch of six-under, giving the 19-year-old all the momentum heading into the back nine – and no one could respond.
“I’m really proud of myself because I really work hard for the trophy,” said Wannasaen, who arrived at Portland ranked 367th and having missed nine straight cuts in her rookie season.
The Thai superstar will surely be feeling as though she’ll never miss a cut again after putting four rounds together in the sixties at Columbia Edgewater and smashing the tournament scoring record by five strokes with a 26-under 262 total.
“I don’t give up. Yeah, I don’t give up,” added Wannasaen, who lost a playoff to Yue Ren last week in Idaho in the Epson Tour’s Circling Raven Championship
“I always to work hard, to work hard for improve my short game, improve my mind, improve my play. I do everything to get a trophy.”
Wannasaen joins an exclusive club on the LPGA Tour of just two other qualifiers who have gone on to claim victory.
In 2000, American Laurel Kean won the State Farm Classic in 2000, and in 2015, Canada’s Brooke Henderson won the same Portland event as Wannasaen.
Wannasaen carded 30 on the front nine, and she didn’t back off. Birdies followed at 13 and 14, and another at the 17th gave her a five-shot advantage.
“I really like this course because I can make a lot of birdies and I think the course is really beautiful and it’s amazing course,” Wannasaen added.
The previous tournament scoring record was 21 under, posted by Hannah Green in 2019 and Henderson in 2015. It’s no wonder Wannasaen praised the the course.
“I really like it. Because like long time I cannot made a lot of birdie, but this course I can do that.”
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