JOHNS CREEK, Georgia – Patty Tavatanakit, the wire-to-wire winner of the year’s first major, hit driver on the front nine beautifully on Thursday at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
Her driver made a strange sound, she said, on the ninth tee of Atlanta Athletic Club’s Highlands Course, but it wasn’t until she struck a drive on No. 10 that she noticed a crack on the top of her Ping G410 LST. She bogeyed the hole.
Tavatanakit then switched to a 3-wood, which she hits 260 yards, and carried on, finishing at 2-under 70 and in a share of 10th, three back of leader Lizette Salas.
“I still hit it somewhat far,” said the ultra-long Tavatanakit, “still outdrove the two girls.”
The ANA Inspiration champ said she doesn’t need driver around the Highlands Course. That’s a good thing since a replacement driver isn’t scheduled to arrive until more than an hour after she tees off on Friday morning.
“If I don’t have it, I’m fine with it,” said Tavatanakit. “I’ll just hit 3-woods off the tee.”
The Thai rookie hit eight fairways in her opening round and rebounded after a double on the 17th with birdies on the last two holes.
“I feel like I gave away a couple just after cracking my driver,” she said, “But yeah, tomorrow will be a better day.”
