Wichanee Meechai (Thai: วิชาณี มีชัย; born: 5 January 1993[1]) is a Thai professional golfer playing on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour.

Wichanee Meechai
Personal information
NicknameJan
Born (1993-01-05) 5 January 1993 (age 31)
Bangkok, Thailand
Height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Sporting nationality Thailand
ResidenceBangkok, Thailand
Career
CollegeRamkhamhaeng University
Turned professional2010
Current tour(s)LPGA Tour (joined 2016)
Professional wins5
Best results in LPGA major championships
Chevron ChampionshipT25: 2022
Women's PGA C'shipT12: 2021
U.S. Women's OpenT6: 2024
Women's British OpenT24: 2021
Evian ChampionshipT29: 2021

Early life

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Meechai was born on 5 January 1993 in Bangkok, Thailand. Her father, Wanchai, is the Senior Tournament Director on the Asian Tour.[2] Meechai started playing golf at the age of 13 years old. She graduated from Ramkhamhaeng University.[3]

Professional career

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Meechai turned professional in 2010. On 25 May 2013, she set the new China LPGA Tour record for low round, with a round of 9-under-par 63, to collect her first international victory at the 2013 Beijing Challenge.[4][5]

Meechai captured her first career Taiwan LPGA Tour win at the 2015 Yeangder TLPGA Open, outlasted compatriot Mind Muangkhumsakul in the first playoff hole.[6] In December 2015, she finished tied for 22nd at the final stage LPGA Qualifying Tournament to earn LPGA Membership for the 2016 season.

In 2016, Meechai recorded nine top-10 finishes, including three runner-ups, in her first season playing in the United States to finish fourth on the Symetra Tour money list to earn LPGA membership for the 2017 season.[7]

On 23 May 2021, Meechai recorded her career-best LPGA Tour finish when she tied for fifth place at the 2021 Pure Silk Championship in Virginia. She subsequently recorded her then highest finish in a major championship in June 2021, tying for 12th place in the 2021 Women's PGA Championship.

In June 2024, Meechai recorded a new personal best finish at a major, tying for 6th place at the 2024 U.S. Women's Open. She has also won more in prize money during the 2024 season than any previous season of her career, having earned over $700,000.[8]

Professional wins (5)

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China LPGA Tour wins (1)

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  • 2013 Beijing Challenge

Taiwan LPGA Tour wins (1)

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  • 2015 Yeangder TLPGA Open

Thai LPGA Tour wins (2)

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  • 2013 3rd Singha-SAT Thai LPGA Championship[9]
  • 2020 4th Singha-SAT Thai LPGA Championship[10]

All Thailand Golf Tour wins (1)

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Results in LPGA majors

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Results not in chronological order.

! Tournament 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Chevron Championship T25 CUT
U.S. Women's Open T52 T50 T30 T6
Women's PGA Championship CUT T49 T66 CUT T12 CUT CUT CUT
The Evian Championship CUT CUT NT T29 CUT T36 CUT
Women's British Open CUT T24 T58 T37
  Top 10
  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut
NT = no tournament
"T" = tied

LPGA Tour career summary

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Year Tournaments
played
Cuts
made*
Wins 2nd 3rd Top 10s Best
finish
Earnings
($)
Money list rank Scoring
average
Scoring
rank
2016 1 0 0 0 0 0 CUT 0 n/a 77.00 n/a
2017 21 8 0 0 0 1 T9 90,395 106 71.89 85
2018 26 16 0 0 0 2 T7 188,841 82 72.21 97
2019 20 9 0 0 0 0 T17 98,166 112 71.98 96
2020 6 4 0 0 0 0 T11 28,248 124 72.84 99
2021 24 17 0 0 0 2 T5 406,770 54 71.21 59
2022 27 19 0 0 0 2 T8 303,651 75 71.68 88
2023 20 14 0 0 0 1 T10 243,154 92 71.46 72
2024 22 16 0 0 0 3 T6 712,756 58 71.94 93
Totals^ 167 103 0 0 0 11 T5 2,071,981 208

^ Official as of 2024 season[8][11]
* Includes matchplay and other tournaments without a cut.

References

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  1. ^ "Wichanee Meechai". China LPGA. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Wanchai's rule". Asian Tour. 13 April 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  3. ^ "Wichanee Meechai (Golfer) Wiki, Age, Bio, Boyfriend, Height, LPGA, Earning, Net Worth, Instagram". Primal Information. 2 June 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Wichanee flies home to claim Beijing crown". Bangkok Post. 26 May 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  5. ^ "Wichanee sets new CLPGA Tour record for low round". China LPGA. 25 May 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  6. ^ "2015 Taiwan LPGA Tour Yeangder TLPGA Open Final-Round Recap". Taiwan LPGA. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  7. ^ "Wichanee Meechai Bio". LPGA. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Wichanee Meechai Results". LPGA. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  9. ^ ""วิชาณี" ยึดแชมป์โปรสตรีสนามที่3 เฉือน "อจิรา" สองแต้มรับ71,900บาท" (in Thai). Siamsport. Archived from the original on 16 April 2022.
  10. ^ "Wichanee outlasts teenage rival in play-off for first win in five years". The Nation Thailand. 9 August 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Wichanee Meechai Stats". LPGA. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
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