Thai rookie top of the class at CLPGA Q-school on Hainan Island

SHINE

Kan Bunnabodee was in a class of her own at the China LPGA Qualifying Tournament on Tuesday as the Thai rookie pro closed with a scorching 10-under-par 62 for an eight-stroke victory in Wanning on Hainan Island.

Over 72 holes of The Dunes at Shenzhou Peninsula East Course, Kan shot 23-under 265 to earn her full-time playing card for the 2024 CLPGA Tour season. In all, 34 players received their full playing cards, including 18 mainland Chinese players and one from China's Hong Kong.

Chinese amateur Wu Tianqi was a distant second as the Beijing teenager closed with a 5-under 67. Thai Saranporn Katesuwan (65) was third at 10 shots off the pace. China's Pang Runzhi (66) was fourth, three shots further back.

Starting the fourth round with a three-shot advantage, Kan came out firing with four birdies over the front nine to make the turn at 32 in sunny and warm conditions at the seaside course. At the 392-yard 11th hole, the 21-year-old Chonburi native holed out from 138 yards out on her approach shot for an eagle two before carding four more birdies, including two straight, to close.

Kan's 10-under score set a new single-round scoring record at a CLPGA Tour Qualifying Tournament. Her 23-under score is also a new 72-hole tournament record. For some years, the tournament had been played as a 54-hole event.

"At first, I was expecting myself to reach 20-under total. Then things started to change after 11. I holed out and made eagle at the 11th. Then I was thinking maybe I can try to beat my low score (9-under 63) and it just turned out to be a good one when I birdied 17 and 18," said Kan, who played the past four years at Purdue University in Indiana.

"Since I just turned professional (last month), I just want to try my best. I know that professional golf is very different from amateur golf. I kind of want to do what I did today, like just focus on my game and if it turns out to be good, like I win, for sure, I'm happy with that."

Wu, the first-round leader, looked like she might mount a challenge after reeling off consecutive birdies starting from the 174-yard third hole. But the teenager could only follow with nine consecutive pars before posting three birdies over the last five holes.

"I did think I had a chance to catch up with her (Kan) after making two straight birdies on the front nine. I was a step closer and more confident. But the god of golf was on her side today. She had a hole-out eagle at the 11th hole. After that, she made a birdie at the 12th hole," said the 16-year-old.

"You couldn't compete with her at her peak form. After that, I told myself that I need to play my own game and hit as close as I can. The win was impossible."

Thais Chanokphisut Charoenpattanasatit (72) and Chanokmanee Charoenpattanasatit (73) became the first twins to qualify for the CLPGA Tour card as the Si Sa Ket natives finished, fittingly, with identical scores of 1-over 289 in equal 11th place.