On Championship Sunday in Toledo, Thailand’s Chanettee Wannasaen claimed her second LPGA Tour victory in as many years on Tour, winning the Dana Open by one stroke over her fellow LPGA Tour sophomore Haeran Ryu. Shooting her fourth round in the 60s with a final day 67, this second victory comes just two weeks before Wannasean is set to defend her title at the Portland Classic and one week after the Thai golfer posted her best major championship result at the Amundi Evian Championship. Feeling confident at the top of her game, Wannasaen showcased her best golf at Highland Meadows Golf Club, setting new career-low 36- and 54-hole scores, and ultimately finished 20-under par with a score of 264.
“Last year I won in Portland, and that, like, cannot imagine that I going to win in Portland because I miss cut like nine events and then Monday qualify and then won in Portland,” said Wannasaen, who won her inaugural victory in the middle of a tough Rookie season, “But this year, I'm start this year I'm looking for second trophy… I think the feeling is very different because Portland I feel like freedom; right now I'm feel like I'm going to looking for third trophy. Yeah, I think it's coming.”
Heading into the final round, Wannasaen led Ryu by three strokes and kept a more-than comfortable lead throughout most of the day, even leading by a commanding five strokes after back-to-back birdies on 7 and 8. But, scores got closer after the turn. Two bogeys on 10 and 13 closed the gap, even with a nice birdie in between on 12, as Ryu went on a run with birdies on 10, 12, 14 and 15. Tied heading onto the 16th hole, Ryu made a crucial mistake that would ultimately cost her a second title. With two par fives to finish, both players made birdie on 17 and headed to 18 with Wannsaen still in the lead.
Off the tee, Ryu landed the fairway while Wannasaen found the right fairway bunker. On their approach, both went left with Ryu finding the bunker this time and Wannasaen missing the bunkers short. From the rough Wannasaen wowed the crowd with her fantastic short game, hitting it within 15 feet, but Ryu did better with a fantastic bunker shot to two feet for a guaranteed birdie. First to putt, Wannasaen knew she needed to sink it to assure her victory.
“Today I'm really nervous, and get stress because last year I play not good on this tournament…. And Haeran, I play with her. She play really well for today. On the last putt on the last hole my hand is shaking so hard. I just like ‘get in, get in. I want birdie, not par…’” said Wannasean, who missed the cut at the 2023 Dana Open. “I made it… It’s really exciting because like on the last putt in my brain it's like nothing, just like being ‘get in, get in; just birdie. I don't want to par; just birdie.’ After I putt in the fan is like scream, and after that notice, oh, my God, a lot of my fans supporting me on this week.”
With her win at the Dana Open, Wannasaen has now won the two oldest non-major tournaments on the LPGA Tour. She is the youngest player to win on Tour this season (20 years, 3 months, 5 days), and the 14th different winner of the year. Crossing the $1 million mark in career earnings, she is the third Thai player to win this year and just the seventh player from Thailand to have at least two wins on Tour.
Ryu’s runner-up result is her highest of the season, besting her third-place finish at the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro and earning her a seventh top-10 result in 2024, the most of any LPGA Tour player without a win. Two players tied for third including 2023 Dana Open champion Linn Grant and Ssu-Chia Cheng. The Republic of China’s Xiyu Lin and Mary Liu finished T5, while six other earned T7 results, including Toledo native Stacy Lewis thanks to a birdie on the final hole that earned her a standing ovation from the local crowd.
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