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.