Today, it may seem commonplace to see Thai payers competing for victory on the LPGA, but there was a time not too long ago when there was a single pioneer carrying the responsibility of representing Thailand on the LPGA. Virada Nirapathpongporn, or Oui Virada, was the first player from Thailand to achieve full time membership status on the LPGA.
She relocated to Florida from her home in Bangkok to attend the Leadbetter - IMG Academy as a teenager. From there, she moved into NCAA Division 1 golf with the Duke Blue Devils and never looked back. In her sophomore year, she led the Blue Devils to the National Championship while winning the individual championship by 4-strokes over Arizona's Lorena Ochoa.
From her unique vantage point as a pioneer of Thai golf, Oui Virada discusses how much Thai golf has grown and developed since she was a junior player. She also discusses her own journey into professional golf and the responsibility of representing her home country on the world professional golf stage. She also shares some great advice for parents and junior players who share the dream of wanting to go as far as they can in the sport.
Today, it may seem commonplace to see Thai payers competing for victory on the LPGA, but there was a time not too long ago when there was a single pioneer carrying the responsibility of representing Thailand on the LPGA. Virada Nirapathpongporn, or Oui Virada, was the first player from Thailand to achieve full time membership status on the LPGA.
She relocated to Florida from her home in Bangkok to attend the Leadbetter - IMG Academy as a teenager. From there, she moved into NCAA Division 1 golf with the Duke Blue Devils and never looked back. In her sophomore year, she led the Blue Devils to the National Championship while winning the individual championship by 4-strokes over Arizona's Lorena Ochoa.
From her unique vantage point as a pioneer of Thai golf, Oui Virada discusses how much Thai golf has grown and developed since she was a junior player. She also discusses her own journey into professional golf and the responsibility of representing her home country on the world professional golf stage. She also shares some great advice for parents and junior players who share the dream of wanting to go as far as they can in the sport.
Hello and good afternoon. Welcome to We're day, as well as bringing you guests from around the world of is another inner series that looks at the sport of golf the growth of the sport, and our guests personal journey with known in Thai, Virada Nirapathpongporn. Now, if you're themselves a nickname, or to have a loved one provide them and a little bit more difficult to pronounce as such. So in this case, Virada was given the nickname Oui by her real name Virada, my apologies in advance. Now, Oui was a status on the LPGA Tour. And in doing so, in many respects, she North America, she became a closely followed player back golf provided. Virada enjoyed a very successful amateur career Academy, competing in several AJ GA events. AJGA is the American Duke University. In her sophomore year, she led the Blue In addition, she was also the NCAA individual champion, Oui Virada also won the 2003 United States Women's Amateur going to take a short break. And when we come back, we will chat more, so please stay with us. Hi, we're back. Thank you for staying with us. Now, let's get Bangkok. Let's give a big We're Talking Golf welcome to Virada
Oui Virada:Hi, guys. Hello, guys, "saudi-ha". Thanks so much apology for being late in getting back to you guys. I at the time three months or son so I somehow I missed the
Douglas Maida:Our pleasure. It's our pleasure and quite go with it. So congratulations to you on that -- to you and
Oui Virada:Thank you. Thank you. Oh, if you can hear I can
Douglas Maida:You have them well trained. Tell us a little what you've been doing since you've retired from professional
Oui Virada:Well, I'm I'm in Bangkok, Thailand. As you can Thailand, I have been back in Thailand for let's see, probably retired and moved right back. It was very bittersweet, I would, I years old then. So I spent half of my life in the US. And it was time away from home and I just really wanted to come back and for about five years. And my brother was abroad. So just was was needed. But I think it's been it's been great since.
Douglas Maida:Well, since you've returned to Thailand, right into teaching? Or were you taking a mental break away from
Oui Virada:I pretty much you I mean, you hit it right in the retire. Like forever, I just knew I needed a break. So I came successful. And I knew that and if I wasn't mentally 100% I knew I came home and literally stared at the wall for two months. 14 years. It's hard to do anything else because you I important to me. So I got my degree from Duke University and I did plays some So it was a similar path that I could really share my personal It was hard to jump right into anything. So I had to kind of were people were giving me opportunities right away to didn't have any experience in that I, I only played my golf, I thought about maybe extending my further studies into like the and when it when the time came for applying for the program, I do. I just knew that it was something maybe I wanted to do Golf Association. So they reached out to me and asked me sounds right, the right fit for me because I would be leading these girls had hopes and dreams of following a similar path, it was how do I say this? There was? Yeah, I did it for seven married, things slowed down a little bit. And then so okay, was my first job. I really enjoyed it. I played with the I was training myself to the girls like nutrition, fitness, time, I had some opportunities with the media and they was offered. The Asian Tour Media gave offered me a oncourse comment, but I only did it for six, seven events because I soon realized job was fun, but it still got me to travel. And the worst thing with Fox, Fox Asia, to cover golf on the major events like golf in the air conditioned studio. And then gives me I've also done, which I'm still doing on the program, which I'm still doing so like I said I with my married in 2015 and I was still traveling so much that my my I mean both the husband and the doc And then I was really busy having extending our family, you know, so I finally was working seven days a week to now being home. Seven days a week,
Douglas Maida:does your husband play golf?
Oui Virada:Yeah, he loves golf. I think he plays more golf than he's played at least one round a week.
Douglas Maida:Okay. Okay. Well, when you came back, did you I again?
Oui Virada:Um, well I didn't, my job with Thailand Ladies Golf I was in stressing over the three footers. I I could just one hour before the round and stressing whether today was
Douglas Maida:Did you notice that you played better when you
Oui Virada:Absolutely. Absolutely. And, of course, if I could go back my
Douglas Maida:Really? looking back, I realized, I mean, the reason why I didn't I'm quite a worrier. And I think you can't worry yourself, you fought. Right? Very correct. Correct? Yes. It reminds me of year, she won two seasons ago. And she had been sharing with us
Oui Virada:And what I have also worked with them as well. Yeah,
Douglas Maida:She was saying about the, the emphasis that because life goes on. It's not like it's going to be a critical how to just oh, well, that was a bad put on my part, just move But just giving that sort of sentiment about learning to just in the moment. Is that something that?
Oui Virada:Yeah, absolutely. I think it is a simple concept, like you're you have to perform. Now you know, and you can't wait ground. So all things like this are circling my mind back then. You just have to do your best to to cut all these you know, concept. You just really have to clear your mind and try to enjoy my, my my future self in the next life if I had a chance to just joined the tour for one year and I felt like I had to be first couple of tournaments. And that I mean, that's a lot of you know, on the world stage where everybody else is so good.
Douglas Maida:Virada, did you feel any pressure being one of I correct in that?
Oui Virada:I was a technically correct in that I was the first She did play on the LPGA. put before me on conditional steps.
Douglas Maida:So when you were playing, did you feel additional Thailand were, we're going to be watching or following you.
Oui Virada:Absolutely. I think feeling the pressure is it's an was like they're one of the first one to accept sponsorship don't feel like you have to prove the reason why they gave was going through my my head while I was trying to hit this only Thai out there. It was a lonely road, I must say, you your, your family, your caddy, your coach, your psychologist, I
Douglas Maida:Virada let me ask you this, then. Around the time LPGA a little bit to compete. Now they are half Thai descent. talking about air Aree and Naree Song.
Oui Virada:Oh yeah. Aree and Naree Song, very good friend of Mai. From Bangkok. But we did when we were about I was 15. their brother Chan Song. So the four of us went to that move over like theirs. So we were very close, grew up playing at Harvard, I think.
Douglas Maida:So in a roundabout way, you've all generations of Thai players.
Oui Virada:Yes, yes. And we both like what we were saying actually playing golf itself. We play from the red tees, we we
Douglas Maida:terrific. That's terrific. Virada, we're gonna background in golf, and where we see golf headed in Thailand, if
Oui Virada:Oh, yeah, sure.
Douglas Maida:Please stay with us. We'll be right back after Hi, we're back. Thank you very much for staying with us. Our Thailand to join the LPGA and has been a pioneering had been happening on the LPGA for you and things like that. golf. It's been almost, what almost 20 years since you first
Oui Virada:That sounds makes me sound really, really old. But
Douglas Maida:So it's almost been 20 years. Now that you look the earliest players, and as you mentioned, the first player to twin sisters and Aree and Naree who played on the LPGA a bit as can't recall. I can't be sure if I'm saying her name. Right. But
Oui Virada:Waen. Okay, Waen Yes, yes. Pornanong Phatlum. success on the LPGA she's kept her card all these years. So I Moriya and then obviously, Mo and May success further sparks it's been a nice cycle.
Douglas Maida:Right? And I was gonna say, I talk with a lot of the things that everybody has been saying for the last five
Oui Virada:Yeah, that's nice to hear that. It's nice to hear so many new golfers, and so many more golfers than we do. But I over 10 players and what they're all pretty competitive.
Douglas Maida:Present time now you've got a lot of Thai players 10 and she's in the top 20 as well. Ariya, I believe was a double major winner as well. Moriya has been competitive you But of course, as you had mentioned, we go back to look at she bridged it to where the Jutanugarn sisters came on. And golf in Thailand become that much more popular? So that they
Oui Virada:The first thing that comes to mind? Is that Honda saying, you know, all these successes, in steps me, happens in steps, you know, for me to finally reach the LPGA as on tour, where there wasn't anybody from Thailand on tour that, okay, one day, I want to be there. And then so Pornanong, was playing, was starting, I 7-Seven people who brought an LPGA event to Thailand for the instead of seeing all these world class players on the TV, time, I think she must have been only maybe 15 or 16, she got a room, all these players that she saw on TV. So she then after that tournament, I'm sure she got a years later and got her own card. And then the Honda LPGA is so popular. And like I said, I think it's it's that bringing, these, these world players that we see on TV. And then when we seven, eight year old girls are now saying, oh, I want to do
Douglas Maida:And it's nice to see the way it's it's grown. And every year as being a catalyst for developing golf. And that the sport.
Oui Virada:in my, when it first came in 2006 pretty much I know we we did compete more and more. And then finally we had a
Douglas Maida:Wow. And she came very close one time as well. A relief and happiness to to finally when at home. Yeah, it second. And I think if I remember correctly, this is off
Oui Virada:Yeah, I think she was leading maybe the first
Douglas Maida:Yeah, I think so. I think so. So it was an us how you came to play golf? I mean, how did you first get
Oui Virada:Oh, sure. Um, my father, who was a general rather, and me was the last one to take up the sport at eight time. And you can imagine it was more fun for a young girl to be admit, I wasn't hooked right away until, until one day, my swim so hard, and all you get is small medals. And then here, my trophies too. So that was the end of the this. How I started. So yeah, I pretty much it took me about two years until I there weren't that many girls competing. So yeah, I won. And look into the kids golf schedule, I mean, there may be so much from from those some 30 years ago. So I pretty much won, golf. And when I was about 13, Leadbetter Academy came to was the golf instructor head director. Yeah. And he he Also, when I was about 13, I started competing more Malaysia, who were older than me. They were 17, 18, 19 years about US college and getting scholarships. And that's how I
Douglas Maida:Well, speaking of that, you were fairly your career, particularly your amateur career. You go to Duke team wins the team competition. And in doing so, you beat Arizona. And in doing so, in winning the individual, you
Oui Virada:Yes, that was.
Douglas Maida:Now you come to the very next year, and you are you think now when you look back on it?
Oui Virada:What do I think about that? That stretch? I got
Douglas Maida:yeah, yeah. What do you think now when you look wonderful those two years were or, or what do you think now?
Oui Virada:Yeah, you know, those were like you said it was this, you know, golf history like Loredana and I learned a chance of achieving it. Especially at that. US amateur I with match play because growing up in Thailand, we always play the US amateur I got to the quarterfinals, I believe in the tired physically, mentally, I didn't really pace myself well. My dad went back to the house, we rented and, and started finals tomorrow. I said why? He said why? I said, because I want I left. This year, I lost in the quiet quarterfinals. I don't the semifinals in the finals. Because next year, I'll be you stay here I'll go. So I went out and watch them play in the can do this next year. And so the following year. Yes. I when trophy. And somehow, in my heart, I was saying, I want to that you're as good as anybody in this field, you just have And that's my whole attitude. The entire week, and it's hard
Douglas Maida:Did your father remember what you had said to
Oui Virada:I'm sure he passed away some years ago, 17 years know, strong in in her own thoughts that that she she knows okay
Douglas Maida:Beretta, you are kind of what you weren't kind of being a bit of a go to player that the others wanted to play college golf was such a good experience for you that you
Oui Virada:absolutely. For years of, of grooming myself of have to stay up and catch up on my work, the next day have to years of, of preparing myself to be ready, after graduation to be anybody, if they have a chance to play college golf, that they
Douglas Maida:Now, one of the things I've noticed, and I'm jump right into professional golf in their teenage years. And you give to some of the players now as to understanding or when they should take that little bit of time to develop as kind of an individual having to make that decision for
Oui Virada:I think that's the thing. I it's very difficult to it would take a lot of guts to say, All right, let's drop the they are both doctors. So they education is high on their a question whether I would finish, but it was a small never a question for me. And my dad really was really glad that Rose, jumped right after his success at the British Open. 17 we thought that he was done. And finally, I mean, good for him. stories like Justin who have just, you know, pretty much went Moriah RTR, but we don't see the unsuccessful stories. So it's Unless I would tell because I have parents asking me the same good, okay, exceptional and not great in school. So these are in golf, and good in school tool, I mean, okay, in school, I she's thankful for that.
Douglas Maida:Right. And she's mentioned that too, in some of UCLA and being able to grow as a person and, and develop maturity out, right off the bat, in our interview today, the adjustment yourself for yourself and having to just travel everywhere,
Oui Virada:and all of that all the physical exhaustion on top levels. And that's why they, they're called professionals,
Douglas Maida:important was the Duke University Program to you.
Oui Virada:Yeah, I really enjoy my team, my coach, Dan Brooks, Still today, I've got friends in the US in Switzerland, in
Douglas Maida:Rather, you're in a stage in life. Now, when you Thailand changed from when you were a junior and you were developed so that the younger players can receive the coaching
Oui Virada:Okay, it's got many dimensions to this questions. technologies. And that comes along with code Ching as as a whole. Thailand also has benefits like that as well. And are world class. And if we go back to what I was saying about think we're now capable of bringing stages like that to world class events in Thailand, bridging that gap between seeing golf populations. As far as number of golfers golf from on the professional levels, I think we have gone 10 force
Douglas Maida:And I guess on the men's side, too, I was gonna right. Punk shy JD
Oui Virada:huh. He's like the porn I know of, of the man.
Douglas Maida:Played Asian tour, he played on the European
Oui Virada:And he's just recently one. So that shows the old, I can play on the senior tour and wins.
Douglas Maida:Right right. Well, yes. And coming up after
Oui Virada:Can you read? Did you read it? Yeah. Jack. The Gundersen goon Oh, we have so many coming up. But I think to physically I think guys are the physical part is more important.
Douglas Maida:well, the type players now are incredible. I and her driving distance, especially when she wanted the yards total distance and, and and a tie is no slouch. And using her sometimes three wood but mostly a driving iron off
Oui Virada:So yeah, I guess the physical side of it has now
Douglas Maida:Yeah, yeah. And a lot of the tape players are the science, the nutrition, the training, and things like that. Thailand just produce so many wonderful players. Yes. Virada, bit older, tells you that he wants to play golf and he wants
Oui Virada:Well, hey, if he comes and tells me, Mom, I want But it has really come from him. I have obviously I would fully will be even more difficult. I think, you know, I for me, the every every new season. So you can imagine by the time my son anyway, it will be really difficult. But I would tell him you. To I would tell him nothing is is forever. You know, having a hard time, tomorrow is a new day. It's something that I much. And I know I hold it, you know, instead of letting it go, the Buddhist teaching that nothing is forever, you know, granted that it's going to always be there. So And lastly,
Douglas Maida:Right? Would you will though, introduce them to
Oui Virada:Of course, I mean, I've already taken him to the
Douglas Maida:Let's have one little playful question here golf development for Thailand, what would your dream setup be?
Oui Virada:so exciting, endless supply of money. I would build a look out and all I see is concrete, you know, buildings some kids may be too young. So they, they hit one, they walk, accommodate that. But it would be nice to have a kids the time. And because I think for in Thailand right now, it's learning on the course. Because the golf course is for adults, kids are off school. The caddies don't want to just go out for I think it's hard for young kids like, you know, five to 10 years
Douglas Maida:Wow, that's a fantastic idea. Wonderful kids involved in the playdates and
Oui Virada:Yeah, but that would have to come with endless amount
Douglas Maida:Well, we're at a we're at the end of our show,
Oui Virada:Oh, so sad.
Douglas Maida:I know. There's so much. I'm so surprised at how delightful person, and very insightful and love your
Oui Virada:It's been a really nice break away from my usual interactions have been a little bit limited, I must say. So this
Douglas Maida:While we're glad we could accommodate and help fantastic spot right now.
Oui Virada:Yes, thank you so much for having me.
Douglas Maida:That's going to be our show today, folks. Thank
Amy (Studio):Thank you. You have been listening to our Sunday, July 10 2022. If you have an idea for a future show, subject line. This show is the copyright of the world of golf.