Natthakritta Vongtaveelap Bio
Natthakritta Vongtaveelap (Thai: ณัฐกฤตา วงศ์ทวีลาภ; born 8 November 2002) is a Thai professional golfer. Standing 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) tall and known by the nickname Sim, she has represented Thailand in international competition and has competed on the LPGA Tour, the Thai LPGA Tour, and the China LPGA Tour. After turning professional in late 2022, she quickly built a reputation as one of the promising young players from Southeast Asia.
Early Life and Background
Natthakritta Vongtaveelap was born on 8 November 2002 in Bangkok, Thailand. She began playing golf at a very young age and developed her game within Thailand’s amateur system. Her early training laid the foundation for a smooth transition from junior events to high-level amateur championships across the region.
As an amateur, Vongtaveelap compiled a strong record, capturing titles at the 2021 and 2022 Singha Thailand Amateur Open, the 2021 Singha Thailand Amateur Match Play Championship, and the 2022 Singha Thailand Amateur Match Play Championship. She also finished as runner-up at the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship in both 2021 and 2022, results that placed her among the top amateur players in Asia.
Path to Professional Golf
In May 2022, Natthakritta Vongtaveelap represented Thailand at the 2021 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Hanoi and won two gold medals, contributing to one of the standout amateur achievements of her career. The performance reinforced her status as a leading Thai amateur and built momentum heading into her professional plans.
She turned professional in November 2022. One month later, in December 2022, she competed at the LPGA Q-Series and finished tied for 28th, which earned her LPGA Tour membership for the 2023 season. The qualifying result confirmed her rapid rise and set the stage for her rookie year on the world’s premier women’s tour.
Natthakritta Vongtaveelap Career
Early Career (2022–2023)
Natthakritta Vongtaveelap’s first months as a professional were spent balancing the Thai LPGA Tour with preparations for her LPGA debut. She opened her professional account in February 2023 by winning the BGC Championship on the Thai LPGA Tour, signaling her readiness for higher-level competition.
Two weeks later, she added a second consecutive Thai LPGA title at the NSDF Ladies Classic. These back-to-back wins demonstrated consistency and confidence heading into her first LPGA start and helped establish her profile across the Asian professional circuits.
LPGA Tour Debut and Honda LPGA Thailand (2023)
In late February 2023, Vongtaveelap made her LPGA Tour debut at the Honda LPGA Thailand after winning the event’s qualifying tournament in January and receiving a sponsor invitation. She opened with a four-shot lead at 20-under-par through 54 holes and was positioned to become the first LPGA member to win on her first LPGA start.
In the final round, Lilia Vu passed her by one stroke, leaving Vongtaveelap with a runner-up finish. The result pushed her into the top 100 of the Women’s World Golf Rankings for the first time, reaching a ranking of 91, and announced her arrival on the LPGA stage.
U.S. Women’s Open (2023)
In July 2023, Vongtaveelap competed in the U.S. Women’s Open, one of women’s golf’s five major championships. She was disqualified from the first round after her caddie, Jinsup Kim, used a distance-measuring device on multiple holes, a rules violation that ended her tournament early.
She also missed the cut in the Chevron Championship and the Women’s PGA Championship during 2023, and did not play in the Evian Championship or the Women’s British Open. The major season served as a steep learning curve during her rookie LPGA campaign.
Notable Events and Milestones
Her 2023 runner-up finish at the Honda LPGA Thailand stands as the defining early moment of her professional career, narrowly missing history in her LPGA debut. The disqualification at the U.S. Women’s Open added a difficult but instructive chapter, while her 2021 SEA Games double gold highlighted her winning pedigree in team and individual competition.
Natthakritta Vongtaveelap Career Wins
Natthakritta Vongtaveelap has accumulated six professional wins across her career, with success split between the Thai LPGA Tour and the China LPGA Tour. Her victories on the Thai LPGA Tour, including the BGC Championship and the NSDF Ladies Classic in early 2023, formed the foundation of her professional record, while a later win on the China LPGA Tour broadened her footprint in Asia.
Thai LPGA Tour Highlights
Natthakritta Vongtaveelap has won five events on the Thai LPGA Tour, including the BGC Championship and the NSDF Ladies Classic, both captured in February 2023. These consecutive victories early in her professional career demonstrated her comfort on home soil and her ability to perform under pressure in national-level competition.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond her Thai LPGA results, Vongtaveelap has recorded one professional victory on the China LPGA Tour, expanding her competitive base across Asia. Her 2021 SEA Games double gold, in individual and team competition, also remains a signature achievement in representing Thailand on a multi-sport stage.
Natthakritta Vongtaveelap Family
Personal Life
Natthakritta Vongtaveelap, known to fans and peers by the nickname Sim, is a Thai national based out of Bangkok. Publicly available details about her parents, spouse, and children have not been confirmed in verified sources, and she has kept her personal life largely private while focusing on her professional career.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into 2025, Natthakritta Vongtaveelap’s professional career has been built on the foundation of her 2023 LPGA debut and her sustained success on Asian tours. With six professional wins already to her name, the season ahead represents an opportunity to expand her schedule and pursue full playing status on a major international tour.
Her competitive base on the Thai LPGA Tour and the China LPGA Tour continues to provide consistent starts and confidence-building results, while her prior LPGA experience offers a roadmap back to the top level. The balance between regional tour play and major-championship qualifying remains central to her 2025 outlook.
For Thai golf fans, Vongtaveelap represents the next wave of Southeast Asian talent, following in the footsteps of established Thai stars. Continued improvement in major-championship performance and consistent top finishes will be key markers to watch as her 2025 season unfolds.