"I don't give up” - 19-year-old rookie Chanettee Wannasaen elated with the LPGA Portland Classic win

Chanettee Wannasaen won her first LPGA Tour event on Sunday, September 3, at the 2023 Portland Classic. She entered the competition as a Monday Qualfier and played flawlessly to close the game at 63.

Wannasaen became the first golfer to win on the LPGA Tour as a qualifier since 2015. The Thai golfer arrived at Portland after missing cut in nine tournaments she played in 2023. However, her caddie supported her throughout the game and encouraged her to play calmly.

She registered a four-stroke victory over Xiyu Lin after wrapping up with a score of under 26. Speaking about her victory in an interview with the media, Chanettee Wannasaen credited her caddie for the win. She said (via the ESPN):

"I don't give up. Yeah, I don't give up. You know, game is pretty solid. I mean, I can't really say too much about today. A couple putts didn't drop, but overall, I mean, Chanettee played amazing. ... You're out there and there is nothing you can do about that. Gave myself a bunch of chances ... again, putts didn't drop."

It is important to note that Chanettee Wannasaen became the third golfer to win on the LPGA Tour as a qualfier. First was the American golfer Laurel Kaen, who won the 2000 State Farm Classic and then Canadian golfer Brooke Henderson won the Portland Classic in 2015.

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Chanettee Wannasaen's career

Wannasaen is a budding golfer from Thailand. The exceptionally talented player clinched her maiden LPGA Tour victory on Sunday, September 3, at the Portland Classic.

She was born and brought up in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Wannasean developed an interest in golf in her childhood and had been pretty successful as an amateur golfer. She won the 2019 Thailand Amateur Match Play Championship.

Chanettee decided to start her professional journey in 2021 at the age of 17 and won the national qualifier tournament to play at the Honda LPGA Thailand.

She majorly played on the Thai LPGA Tour during the initial days of her professional career and then competed on the LET Access Series, and Epson Tour before earning her LPGA Tour card in 2023. She competed at the qualifying school and finished in sixth place to join the Tour.

Wannasaen has won nine professional tournaments in her career including one on the LET Access Series, two on the Thai LPGA Tour and one on the LPGA Tour.

Here are the results of the all the tournaments Chanettee Wannasaen played in 2023:

• Portland Classic: 1
• ISPS Handa World Invitational presented by AVIV Clinics: Missed the cut
• Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational: Missed the cut
• Dana Open: Missed the cut
• Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give: Missed the cut
• ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer: Missed the cut
• Cognizant Founders Cup: Missed the cut
• JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro: Missed the cut
• LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakalei: Missed the cut
• DIO Implant LA Open: Missed the cut
• LPGA Drive On Championship at Superstition Mountain: T57
• Honda LPGA Thailand: T51