P.K. Kongkraphan completed a remarkable comeback win today at the Friends of TLPGA Open at the Gold Coast Golf & Country Club. She made a bogey-free, 8-under 64 in the final round to wrap it up on 3-under 213 and take her second TLPGA Tour victory in just two months.

Starting the day seven shots off the lead in a tie for 17th at 5-over, Kongkraphan achieved this seemingly impossible turn-around with some clinical putting display. The Thai star was on a birdie hunt in the early wave, picking up consecutive gains on No.3, 4, 5, and then on the 9th as well to make the turn at 1-over par, when she moved within just two shots behind Chang Ching-Ling (張靖翎) and Chen Ling-Jie’s (陳伶潔) lead.

“I did not play well on the back nine in the last two rounds, but today, I felt like I was in the zone, with my short game especially. I felt like I wasn’t afraid to attack the pin, and the risks I took paid off,” said Kongkraphan, who bagged four more birdies on her way back to the clubhouse to finish on 3-under.

Chang Ching-Ling also looked promising with a front-nine 32, bringing her in lead at 1-under par. However, she was not able to keep the intensity up on the back nine and closed the round without further improvement. Also failing to capitalize on the final stretch was first-round co-leader Chen Ling-Jie, who arrived at the turn at 1-under as well but ended up on the same height.

“I was a bit too excited around the turn to really focus on every shot and committed some bad mistakes,” said Chen, referring to a three-putt on the 9th and a chipping miscue on the 11th. “It’s a milestone week for me, still. This is the best tournament so far in my career.”

The Taiwanese duo finished in a tie for second with Thai player Samaporn Khangkhun, who was just one stroke off the pace after a birdie on Hole 13 but then suffered a bogey on the 15th which killed her chances. “I gave the scoreboard a glance, and realized I needed just one shot to get to the front, and then the nerves kind of crept in and I made a bogey, which was a little disappointing, but overall a great learning experience for me,” Khangkhun said.

With this win, Kongkraphan became the first player to tally two top-tier TLPGA Tour titles this year. She beat Shih Cheng-Hsuan (石澄璇) by three shots at the WPG Ladies Open in mid May. Her win this week is worth NT$540,000.

Shih, who was playing in the leaders’ group today, made two birdies and three bogeys to card a final-round 73 and settle in a tie for fifth.

The NT$3 million Friends of TLPGA Open sees 84 pros and 7 local amateurs gathering from Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan battle through 54 holes at the Gold Coast Golf & Country Club in New Taipei, Taiwan. This marks the first time the TLPGA Tour travels back at the Gold Coast in seven years.

The “Friends of TLPGA” was founded two years ago by a group of golf-loving local entrepreneurs. They established a three-year based sponsorship program, giving 30 selected TLPGA players direct financial aid on a monthly basis, thanks to the donation of 70 “Friends of the TLPGA”. This week witnessed the very first Friends of TLPGA Open.