Wannasaen, Boonchant shoot 64 as 'The Sloth Machine' chugs away with a tie for lead

By Annie Watson

MIDLAND, Mich. – In just their second year on the LPGA Tour, Thai golfers Chanettee Wannasaen and Jaravee Boonchant come away from the first round of the 2024 Dow Championship with a tie for the lead. In a bogey-free 64, the duo trusted each other as they took on the opening round’s alternate shot format.

“I think today we were pretty solid,” Boonchant said. “We hit many fairways, many greens, give ourselves a lot of opportunity to make birdies. With [Chanattee’s] putting, she's rolling everything.”

Wannasaen equally praised her teammate, highlighting Jaravee’s strengths in this first of two alternate shot rounds. “I think we hit a lot of greens and a lot of fairways, and Jaravee on her second shot is on fire. [She] helped me a lot.”

Between the Thai duo, they have one LPGA Tour win – Wannasaen won the Portland Classic last August. And in last week’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, only Wannasaen competed, and she missed the cut. However, going into Friday’s four-ball format, the rising stars feel confident that their strengths will help them shoot low going forward. 

“KPMG is very narrow and a little bit long.,” Wannasaen said. “But this golf course is wide open. That's why we can hit and aim at the pin.”