Thai 14-year-old becomes youngest Ladies European Tour winner

Reuters: A 14-year-old amateur from Thailand won on the Ladies European Tour on Sunday, supplanting Lydia Ko as the youngest champion on the circuit.

Atthaya Thitikul - AFP

Atthaya Thitikul, aged 14 years, four months and 19 days, clinched a two-stroke victory at the Ladies European Thailand Championship at Phoenix Country Club in Pattaya.

New Zealander Ko held the previous record as the youngest winner on the tour, after claiming the 2013 New Zealand Open at the age of 15 years, nine months and 17 days.

Ko went on to become the world number one until being deposed last month by Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand.

Thitikul said her caddie had kept her calm during the final round.

“I’m so happy and proud of myself,” she said after finishing at five-under 283, according to the Ladies European Tour website.

“I did not look nervous, but of course I felt nerves on the first tee and on the first hole.

“My family do not play golf. When I was younger, aged six, my father told me to play sport and he offered tennis or golf and I watched golf on TV and I liked it.”