Tavatanakit Still Getting Used to Being In Spotlight Following Win At Ana INspiration

Tavatanakit Explained How She's Adjusting to New Found Spotlight at HSBC CHampionship

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      Patty Tavatanakit says she still getting accustomed to her new found fame following an impressive victory at the ANA Inspiration earlier this past April. 
     The LPGA rookie topped the leader board all four rounds of the ANA Inspiration - finishing 18 under par to capture her first major championship win on April 4.
​     Her victory however immediately thrust Tavatanakit into the national spotlight.
     “With everyone wanting to talk to me I felt a little bit [overwhelmed],” she told reporters during this week's HSBC Women’s World Championship.
     Tavatanakit said her victory and the ensuing rush of attention that followed left her exhausted and aware that she needs to better manage her time.
     At the LA Open - overwhelmed and drained  from the all attention from her previous win - Tavatanakit missed the cut and decided to immediately take a flight back to Orlando. 
     According to the major winner she was not ready for the tournament  in LA but felt obligated to attend.
     “I [felt] like I had to be there because I went to school there,” she said.
      Tavatanakit also was a member of the Wilshire Country Club – which had given her an honorary membership the previous year.
      “If I didn’t show up it doesn’t look good. That’s why I went but knowing deep down…I wasn’t ready to go back. I was still pretty exhausted from everything,” she explained this week.
      According to Tavatanakit she didn’t even open up to her coach and explain that she wasn’t ready for LA.
      Prior to the LA Open Tavatanakit said she hadn’t gotten much rest at home and was practicing too much because she really wanted to continue the momentum from her  previous win.

     “It was a tiring two weeks like mentally too and physically. I was trying to keep things off my mind,” she explained.
     Looking back Tavatanakit said spending ten hours on the course practicing was probably not a wise move.
      Thursday night – after being cut from the LA Open – Tavatanakit spoke to her coach over the phone, explained that she wanted to come home and took a red eye flight back to Orlando. There she says she was able to spend “quality time” with her coach, friends and boyfriend.
      “I don’t want to be here. It’s a little bit distracting. I just want to be back where everyone treated me a little bit more normal,” she explained of her decision to leave LA early.
     Being back home was “nice and relaxing” she said. “I think it was much needed and I feel really rested to,” she explained.       
       Looking back Tavatanakit said she was really overwhelmed by all the attention she was getting following her win.
      “It was overwhelming to the point I did not know it was overwhelming,” she explained. “I’m not really used to having to give so much energy to people.”
      Being able to reflect since then, Tavatanakit said she realizes she needs to take a different approach and better manage her time and practice. “That is something I’m still learning,” she said. 

                -By Shawn R. Dagle Women's Pro Golf Weekly Editor/Reporter
                  Published May 1, 2021