Teenager Chanettee Wannasaen Sets Record with a Four-Stroke Win at the Portland Classic

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Nineteen-year-old Chanettee Wannasaen displayed an exceptional performance during a five-hole stretch in the final round on Sunday, recording 6 under par. She concluded the tournament with a striking 9-under 63, sealing a four-stroke triumph at the Portland Classic. This monumental win makes her the first player to claim victory as a Monday qualifier on the LPGA Tour since 2015.

Upon arriving at the Portland Classic, Wannasaen was ranked 367th and had failed to make the cut in her last nine tournaments during her inaugural season. However, the Thai golfer assembled four remarkable rounds in the 60s at Columbia Edgewater. She broke the tournament’s existing scoring record by an impressive five strokes, concluding with a 26-under 262 aggregate for her debut win on the LPGA Tour.

Wannasaen is only the third player to achieve victory on the tour as a qualifier. The previous Monday qualifier to win was Canadian Brooke Henderson, who also won the Portland Classic in 2015. Another earlier victory by a qualifier was by American Laurel Kean at the State Farm Classic in 2000.

Megan Khang, the leader after the third round, was unable to secure back-to-back victories. The 25-year-old American, who had won the CPKC Women’s Open at Shaughnessy in Vancouver, British Columbia just a week prior, finished the tournament with a 1-under 71 and landed in sixth place at 19 under.

Wannasaen, a prior winner on both the Access Series of the Ladies European Tour and the Thai LPGA, was unchallenged throughout the final round. She easily defeated Xiyu Lin of China, who concluded with a 64, resulting in a 22-under 266 total. Ruoning Yin of China, Gina Kim of the United States, and Carlota Ciganda of Spain were tied for third, one stroke behind Lin.

Entering the round tied for second place, Wannasaen surged ahead with birdies on holes 3 and 5, an eagle on the par-5 fifth, and additional birdies on holes 6 and 7. This 6-under run propelled her into the lead at 23 under. She registered a front-nine score of 30 and encountered little resistance as she played the back nine. She solidified her lead by notching consecutive birdies on holes 13 and 14, and another on the 17th, widening her lead to five strokes with only four holes remaining.

Wannasaen’s final round was nearly unblemished. One minor lapse occurred on the 72nd hole, where she missed the green, hitting 13 of 14 fairways. She came up short on her chip but sealed her round and her victory with a 10-foot par putt, maintaining her bogey-free status.

Notes

The previous tournament scoring record stood at 21 under, established by Hannah Green in 2019 and matched by Brooke Henderson in 2015. Perrine Delacour, the leader after the first two rounds, finished with a 69 in the final round and was tied for 18th place. Caroline Inglis, a member of Columbia Edgewater and a former University of Oregon player, ended up tied for 49th with a final-round score of 69. Inglis resides on the opposite side of the Columbia River in Vancouver, Washington.

Source: AP Golf – Link

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More about Chanettee Wannasaen Portland Classic Win

• LPGA Official Site
• Chanettee Wannasaen’s Player Profile
• Portland Classic Official Page
• Previous LPGA Tour Monday Qualifiers
• Hannah Green’s 2019 Record
• Brooke Henderson’s 2015 Win
• Megan Khang’s Player Profile
• CPKC Women’s Open Official Site
• Golf Scoring Records
• Columbia Edgewater Country Club