Thanana Kotchasanmanee (LNGA Photo)

Kotchasanmanee, a 17-year-old golf sensation originally from Thailand and now residing in Rome, Ga., showcased her talent with a final round score of 6-under 66, which included an impressive three eagles.

She made eagles on holes No. 8, 12, and 13. No. 8 was a par-4, where she holed out, and 12 and 13 were back-to-back par-5s, where Kotchasanmanee was able to pull away from the field.

Kotchasanmanee is currently ranked No. 263 in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com Women's Rankings.

Kotchasanmanee, who has one more year of high school before heading to Princeton University to continue her golf career, demonstrated poise and skill throughout the tournament. Her final round performance sealed her victory, placing her ahead of Laney Frye and Bentley Cotton, who both finished the three-day event at 9-under and T2.

Frye and Cotton pushed hard to close the gap on the last day and with only a few holes to go, Cotton had pulled to within one shot.  Their impressive performances kept the pressure on Kotchasanmanee, but she was able to pull away on the back nine.

“I was just doing my own thing and my own job. I played shot by shot. I just kept smiling and not thinking about anything else. I was just playing golf and having fun with it. ” said Kotchasanmanee. 

Thanana’s win earned her the beautiful Dorthy Pease Junior Medalist trophy and the George Howell III Champion Trophy. The LNGA Championship is the last event in the inaugural Women’s Elite Amateur Series.

The Women’s Trans-Mississippi Golf Association was officially organized on February 17, 1927, and the first WTMGA Championship was played in June of that year. Soon, clubs from more states requested membership, and in 1953, under the leadership of Trans President Mrs. Dorothy Pease, Scottsdale, AZ, the Trans went “National” and included all states. With Mrs. Betsy McSpaden, Kansas City, KS, at the helm, the name was changed to Women’s Trans National Golf Association and eventually to Ladies National Golf Association as the Championship became international in scope.

The LNGA rotates its tournament sites, thus acquainting golfers in all parts of the U.S. with the Trans Championship. The LNGA awards its Champion a permanent prize plus custody for one year of the lovely George III Bowl Traveling Trophy. Traveling trophies and prizes are also awarded to Tournament Medalists, Junior and Senior Medalists, and Howell Team winners.

Eight former champions have won the Women’s National Amateur: Miriam Burns Horn, Betty Jameson, Patty Berg, Babe Zaharias, Jo Ann Gunderson Carner, Martha Wilkinson Kirouac, Mary Budke and Pearl Sinn. Six women have won both the WTNGA and the British Amateur: Carol Semple Thompson, Wiffie Smith, Babe Zaharias, Carol Sorenson, Michelle Walker and Nancy Roth Syms.

Recap courtesy of Ladies National Golf Association