JUTANUGARN Ariya

General
DOCUMENTARY
She featured in the 2019 documentary 'Pro May Atchariya Tong Sang', which details her family's involvement in the sport and documents how her father helped guide her and her sister Moriya to become professional golfers. (nationthailand.com, 19 Jun 2019; bangkokpost.com, 09 Aug 2019)

FOUNDATION
In 2018 she and her sister Moriya established their own charitable foundation to help support vulnerable people in Thailand. "Golf is becoming more popular in Thailand and it is great to see a lot of boys and girls taking up the game. If I can help that in any small way then that is great but it is not just about golf, it is showing kids to strive to be their best at anything they want to do." (tokyo2020.org, 22 Sep 2020)

SPORT AND LIFE BALANCE
In 2019 she spoke about struggling to separate her golfing career and her personal life. "I just feel a lot of expectations, not from others, but from myself. It's so tough for me to be happy. I felt like, I have to say, that golf is life because every time I play badly, I start to feel unhappy. I start to be disappointed, and I have to learn and know that golf and life are different. I talk to [coaches] Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott almost every day because I feel like I lost who I am, or who I want to be. I realise that life and golf are different. Even if I play badly, I still have the best family. And when I know that, everything is just so happy." (golfchannel.com, 22 Jun 2019)

SIBLING RIVALRY
She competes on the LPGA Tour alongside her older sister Moriya, and the pair admit they share a friendly rivalry which has helped both players to improve. "We have always done everything together. We picked up golf at the same time, a little bit of tennis and swimming. We always compete against each other. I think it makes us better," Moriya said. (thejakartapost.com, 27 Feb 2019)

FAMILY DEDICATION
Her parents Somboon and Narumon made a number of sacrifices to allow Ariya and her sister Moriya to pursue their golf careers. The family house and car were sold so that the siblings could gain experience playing in competitions in the United States of America, while her father gave up his own 14-year golf career to spend time coaching his daughters. (usga.org, 23 Jun 2010)

She became the first Thai golfer to win a major championship when she claimed victory at the 2016 British Open in Milton Keynes, England. In 2017 she become the first professional Thai golfer to reach number one in the world rankings. She was also the first Thai golfer to win the women's US Open, following her victory at the 2018 edition in Shoal Creek, AL, United States of America. (lpga.com, 03 Jun 2018, 12 Jun 2017; ONS, 15 Aug 2016; ricohwomensbritishopen.com, 31 Jul 2016)