No. 5: Thailand:
Like the United States, the defending champions from Thailand certainly do not have their ideal roster. Two of its returning players, major champions Patty Tavatanakit and Ariya Jutanugarn, have dropped out, leading to a bit of an unbalanced team. There is one big reason you should have confidence in Thailand though.
Of course, that reason is Jeeno Thitikul, without question the best player in the world right now. She is a dominant No. 1 and should give this team a legitimate chance to win any match in which she is playing.
Thitikul has made 17/18 cuts on the LPGA Tour this season with 12 top-10 finishes and two wins. She also had a win against a strong field on the Ladies European Tour early this year against a stacked field. When looking at some of the freakish ways she has lost, she probably should have more like four or five wins this season. What kind of form is she coming into this week with? How about three consecutive top-two finishes.
Chenettee Wannasaen isn’t a big name, but will be a nice complimentary piece to the superstar. Wannasaen is probably one of the more underrated players on the LPGA Tour, ranked at No. 43 in the Rolex Rankings and has some great finishes. Wannasaen has made 14/20 cuts and has three top-10 finishes this year along with two career wins. She finished runner up at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and performed well against a good field at the Meijer LPGA Classic.
Pajaree Anannarukarn is a mostly consistent player despite only one top-10 finish on the season. She quietly has seven top-20 finishes in 22 starts this year and brings strong match play skill with her 2023 win in Las Vegas. This is a solid piece on this team despite her low Rolex Ranking at No. 85.
Rounding out the team is the newly added Jasmine Suwannapura, who is the oldest player on this team by six years, despite being only 32-years-old. Suwannapura is a grinder, which is exactly what this young team might need. While she hasn’t had one of her best years on the LPGA Tour, with 13/21 cuts made and no top-10 finishes, this isn’t a bad option for a last minute addition.
On paper, Thailand is arguably the second worst team in this field, but it is led by the unquestioned top player in the world who is playing with phenomenal form. Thitikul could put this team on her back and bring them further than anyone else is expecting.
