GOLF: Patipaksiri ends amateur career in style

Cypress resident plans to turn pro after winning Long Beach City Championship.

LONG BEACH - Lalita Patipaksiri made sure her last amateur golf event was one to remember.

The Cypress resident and recent UC Irvine graduate claimed victory Friday in the 82nd annual Long Beach Women's City Championship, shooting a 36-hole total of 7-under-par 141.

She followed a round of 5-under 69 on Thursday at El Dorado Park with a 2-under 72 at Recreation Park to beat former UCI teammate Hillary Packard by two shots. Patipaksiri made birdies at Nos. 2, 7 and 12 and avoided trouble down the stretch, recording par on the final six holes.

"At this course, you can be aggressive with it," said Patipaksiri, who resisted the temptation to post a really low score by keeping her drives in the fairway and playing for the center of the green. "My score wasn't as low as it could have been, but it was good enough to win. ... I had to maintain and stay calm, and play safe."

Patipaksiri, 21, will now join the Cactus Tour, a women's professional tour based in Arizona, before eventually going to LPGA qualifying school.

"I'm gonna have to improve quite a bit," said Patipaksiri, whose diminutive frame and attention to accuracy aren't conducive to length off the tee.

Patipaksiri had several birdie opportunities over the final holes but never converted. She missed a 12-footer on 16 that could have stretched her lead, then missed again from inside 10 feet on 17. With a two-stroke cushion on 18, Patipaksiri left her second shot on the

front fringe of the elevated green, then putted within two feet and tapped in for par.

"I felt par would be enough and it was," she said. "I didn't want to put unnecessary pressure on myself."

After struggling at El Dorado Park, Packard shot 5-under 69 at Rec Park. The 22-year-old made the turn at 2 under and recorded four more birdies on the back, with the only blemish a bogey at the par-4 15th.

Packard said Thursday's round was her first since a three-week vacation to Europe during which she never picked up a club.

"I felt like I'd lost my touch (Thursday)," Packard said, "but it came back (Friday). I putted much better (Friday)."

Both players were followed in the gallery by UCI coach Julie Brooks.

"She still makes me nervous," Patipaksiri laughed.

Long Beach State's Rochelle Chan tied for third place at 4-under 144, shooting two rounds of 72. She nearly holed out from about 150 yards on the 17th hole and settled for a tap-in birdie. Simone Hoey also shot 144 and Desiree Debreuil was fifth at 145.

In flight play, Ava Lourenco shot two rounds of 80 and won the A Flight by 10 shots over Sara Yarmer. In B Flight, Michelle Seckington won both the gross (169) and net (145) championship over Donna Doss-Burley (172, 146) and Ashley Penner (172, 152). Melinda Pigors won the C Flight gross score title at 181 while Tiffany McConnell won the net score at 148. In D Flight, Sandy Osterhout also won both the gross (186) and net (138) titles.

david.felton@presstelegram.com

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