ANA Inspiration 2021 R3
April 01-04
Mission Hills Country Club, Dinah Shore Tournament Course
Rancho Mirage, California
$3,100,000
Round 1, Round 2, Round 4

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

As Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit heads into the final day of the 2021 ANA Inspiration, leading a major for the first time in her young career, everyone from her playing partners to the global TV audience has been marvelling at her maturity, both on and off course.

ANA Inspiration 2021 R3

She takes a five shot lead into the final round, having calmly handled the challenges of the Dinah Shore Tournament Course on a windy day with the same calmness and confidence that she has handled the extensive media interest throughout the week. No one has been more impressed than her caddie,  former golf professional Ryan Hogue, who is perhaps best placed to make observations on the young phenom.  In what is only their first week together, the two have worked so well you would never know their partnership was only agreed on the Friday of last week’s Kia Classic.

ANA Inspiration 2021 R3

Coincidentally, when Hogue, an occasional caddie on both the LPGA and PGA TOUR, recently stepped in at the last minute for Martin Laird’s caddie at the 2020 Shriners Hospitals for Children, the Scot went on to win the tournament. Hogue could not be more impressed with what he has seen in his short time with Tavatanakit commenting, “She is very professional for a 21 year old and definitely thinks more like a veteran than a rookie.”

Despite having slept on the lead for two consecutive nights, the young Thai star showed no sign of stress as she opened her Saturday round with a birdie, explaining, “It's always nice to have a good start to feel a little bit more comfortable throughout the day. I was hitting it really good. I'm putting so well right now. I am just really pleased with how everything played out. And obviously it was a little tough today, too, towards the end. It was hot. It was getting windy. Even though I shot good scores, the process was still a little bit challenging.”

ANA Inspiration 2021 R3

Ally Ewing, who won her first LPGA title last year at the LPGA Drive On Championship - Reynolds Lake Oconee, playing under her then maiden name of McDonald, shot a blemish-free 66 to propel her up the leaderboard into tied second place with defending Champion Mirim Lee on -9.

The highest placed American felt that recent win would stand her in good stead ahead of the final round stating,  “I think it definitely gives me confidence. To rely on something that you've done before I think is a very settling feeling. Certainly it's a major championship and it's a little bit different, but I think the biggest part for me when I got that win was the day before and the morning before I tee'd off every day, on Saturday, Sunday I had great conversations with my caddie and just making myself aware of the uncomfortability that I was going to feel and acknowledging that.  If you try to brush it off and put it to the side, then you're not acknowledging the truth. So I'm going to go ahead and acknowledge that it's probably going to be tough tomorrow. I'm going to feel uncomfortable at times, but I'll embrace it and try to do the best I can.”

ANA Inspiration 2021 R3

South Korea’s Mirim Lee has mounted an impressive title defence, rising steadily up the leaderboard over the first few days with a third round 68 which included six birdies.

ANA Inspiration 2021 R3