Atthaya Thitikul had a great experience on day three of the Women’s Olympic Golf Competition as she played with hometown hero Celine Boutier.
The Thai star was paired with France’s Boutier and Japan’s Miyu Yamashita on Friday at Le Golf National with the trio teeing off at 12.17 pm (local time).
And the 2021 Race to Costa del Sol champion was delighted to have been able to play alongside Boutier in her home country.
“It was a really amazing experience,” she said. “I’m not talking about my golf but I’m talking about all the crowd and them rooting for Celine. I played with her in front of her hometown and I think she’s just really a role model here in France.”
Thitikul had a consistent first two days in France producing rounds of 72 (E) and 69 (-3) to be in a share of sixth place at the halfway stage and the 21-year-old followed that up with another 69 (-3) on day three.
The former world number one had an up-and-down front nine which included three birdies and three bogeys, but finished strong with birdies on 10, 11 and 16 to sit in outright fifth place on six-under-par.
She continued: “I don’t think it’s easy at all, even from the first round to here. The rough is pretty thick out there if you don’t have a good line. Keeping the ball on the fairway is the key on this course.
“It’s not easy to make a really really low score. I don’t know how Morgane [Metraux] did it but I’m just going to stick to the process, it should be better.”
Thitikul, who is making her Olympic debut this week, loves being able to represent her country of Thailand on such a huge stage.
Even though, the four-time LET winner is in medal contention as she sits just one shot behind Rose Zhang and Japan’s Yamashita – who are in T3 – she will be proud of her performance whether she comes home with a medal or not.
She added: “It’s always an honor to represent my country in the Olympics. I’m just really happy to be out here no matter what the result is going to be. I just like to play my best out there.
“It means a lot. Just to be out here, it’s good enough, but to be in contention for the medal for my country is an intense experience to be honest. The Olympics is every four years; we just have one.
“If I can get it, it’s going to be really special, but if not, I’m just already proud of myself of how I did out there and also proud of representing Thailand and representing all the people in the country.”
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