World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul had a pedestrian — by her standards — 4-under-par 68 at the CME Group Tour Championship, but it was more than enough for her to set an LPGA record and coast to victory on Sunday in Naples, Fla.
Thitikul had built a six-stroke lead on the field coming into the day and finished the final round four strokes ahead of Thai countrywoman Pajaree Anannarukarn.
Thitikul previously won the Buick LPGA Shanghai on Oct. 9 before tying for fourth at the Maybank Championship a day before Halloween. She now has three wins this season to go along with 12 top-five finishes, giving her the lowest scoring average for a season in the history of the LPGA at 68.68, surpassing Annika Sorenstam (2002).
“Back then when I was six years old I’m just really young kids that had no idea what LPGA was, what a world No. 1 looked like,” Thitikul said. “But as I’m stepping here on the LPGA Tour, I know our part is playing golf, but like also inspiring the next generation is part of our job as well.”
Thitikul had her highest score of the event Sunday, yet she still sank five birdies while suffering a single bad hole (a bogey 5 on No. 2) to card a 26-under 262 for the tourney. The result underscored just how dominant she had been in building her lead at Tiburon Golf Club.
“I mean, I love this golf course,” Thitikul said. “To be honest, playing here at CME, our last tournament of the year, give me a really good energy.”
The victory made Thitikul a back-to-back winner at the event, the first person to do so since Jin-young Ko of South Korea in 2020 and 2021. It also netted her a $4 million check, one of the biggest prizes on the tour.
She also did it while nursing a previous wrist injury.
Asked about her motivation, Thitikul laughed in responding, “I think maybe $4 million got motivation then.”
Among her closest competitors in this event, only her friend Anannarukarn could make up ground on Thitikul Sunday. Anannarukarn fired a 6-under 66 to finish second at 22 under.
Anannarukarn’s day included seven birdies and a bogey. Five of her birdies came across the first seven holes.
“Just been an awesome week. Just no complaints,” Anannarukarn said. “I mean, gratitude. I’m just really happy with how I was able to perform well and to celebrate my friend for back-to-back wins, so that was pretty cool.”
World No. 2 Nelly Korda (68) finished alone in third place at 20 under. Rounding out the top five were Mexico’s Gaby Lopez (65) at 19 under and Japan’s Nasa Hataoka (66) at 17 under.
–Field Level Media
