Virada Nirapathpongporn
Encyclopedia
Virada Nirapathpongporn is a Thai
former professional golfer
who won the 2003 U.S. Women's Amateur.
Nirapathpongporn was born in Bangkok, Thailand. She attended Duke University
where she won the 2002 NCAA Division I Championship
. She graduated in 2004 with a degree in psychology
. She was voted the 2004 Nancy Lopez Award as the world's top female amateur. She was also runner-up in the 2003 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links
.
Nirapathpongporn turned professional in June 2004 to play on the Futures Tour
. In 2005, she won two tournaments. In 2006 she was an LPGA Tour rookie and wrote a blog for lpga.com.
In late February 2011, Nirapathpongporn announced she would be retiring from competitive golf and moving back to Thailand after living in the United States for fifteen years.
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
former professional golfer
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
who won the 2003 U.S. Women's Amateur.
Nirapathpongporn was born in Bangkok, Thailand. She attended Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
where she won the 2002 NCAA Division I Championship
NCAA Women's Golf Championship
NCAA Champions for women's golf:-Division I:-Division II-III combined:-Division II:-Division III:-Team:The following schools have won more than one team championship:*15: Methodist*7: Arizona State*5: Duke, Rollins*4: Florida Southern...
. She graduated in 2004 with a degree in psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
. She was voted the 2004 Nancy Lopez Award as the world's top female amateur. She was also runner-up in the 2003 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links
U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links
The U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship, often referred to as the Public Links or the Publinx, is a women's amateur golf tournament, one of 10 individual amateur championships organized by the USGA and first played in 1977. The USGA officially calls the event the U.S. Women's Amateur...
.
Nirapathpongporn turned professional in June 2004 to play on the Futures Tour
FUTURES Tour
The LPGA Futures Tour, previously styled in uppercase as FUTURES Tour and known for sponsorship reasons between 2006 and 2010 as the Duramed FUTURES Tour, is the official developmental golf tour of the LPGA Tour...
. In 2005, she won two tournaments. In 2006 she was an LPGA Tour rookie and wrote a blog for lpga.com.
In late February 2011, Nirapathpongporn announced she would be retiring from competitive golf and moving back to Thailand after living in the United States for fifteen years.
Amateur wins
- 2001 Women's Trans-National Championship
- 2002 NCAA Division I ChampionshipNCAA Women's Golf ChampionshipNCAA Champions for women's golf:-Division I:-Division II-III combined:-Division II:-Division III:-Team:The following schools have won more than one team championship:*15: Methodist*7: Arizona State*5: Duke, Rollins*4: Florida Southern...
- 2003 U.S. Women's Amateur
Futures Tour wins (2)
- 2005 (2) Jalapeno FUTURES Golf Classic, CIGNA Chip in For A Cure Connecticut FUTURES Golf Classic