Former Kansas Golfer Finding Success on China LPGA Tour

Former Kansas women’s golfer Thanuttra Boonraksasat is continuing her success on the golf course on the Thai LPGA Tour and the China LPGA Tour, posting a top-15 performance at the CTBC Shanghai Classic in the middle of June.

Boonraksasat, who helped Kansas advance to the 2014 NCAA Championship during her senior campaign, shot an opening round of 69 (-3) and followed with back-to-back rounds of even par to place 14th with a 3-under 213. The Nonthaburi, Thailand native has competed in four events this year on the China LPGA Tour, missing the cut at the first three before the breakout round at Tianma Country Club in Shanghai, June 12-14.

“She’s practicing all day and I think her short-game is improving,” Kansas women’s golf coach Erin O’Neil said. “She’s one of the best ball strikers we’ve had.”

The Shanghai Classic featured 119 golfers in a co-sanctioned event between the LPGA Tour of Taiwan and China LPGA Tour. According to a tour release, it marked the first time TLPGA Tour players have competed in mainland China.

In her debut season as a Jayhawk, Boonraksasat set a freshman-low round record of 68 at the Baylor Spring Invitational and led the team at the Big 12 Championship. Boonraksasat continued to be a top performer for the Jayhawks her sophomore year, and as a junior helped lead the team to a first-place finish at the Price’s “Give ‘Em Five” Intercollegiate.

A four-year regular in the KU lineup, Boonraksasat saved her best performances for her final season when she helped Kansas finish among the nation’s top-24 teams by advancing out of the NCAA Central Region and competing for a National Championship at Tulsa Country Club.

Boonraksasat may still be finding her way the professional circuit but O’Neil thinks her performance in Shanghai is just the beginning of more good things to come.

“She likes to compete,” O’Neil said.  “She’s very well suited for the job.”

KUAthletics.com: The official online source for Kansas Athletics, Williams Education Fund contributions, tickets, merchandise, multimedia, photos and much, much more.