Jeeno Thitikul caps her stellar season with a dominant win at the CME Group Tour Championship and defends her Race to CME Globe title.
Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul delivered a commanding performance at the LPGA Tour’s season-ending CME Group Tour Championship, securing her second consecutive victory at the prestigious event and retaining her title in the Race to CME Globe. After outstanding rounds on Friday and Saturday, Thitikul entered the final round with a six-shot lead. Despite posting her highest score of the week—a 68—she maintained control and finished four strokes ahead of fellow Thai golfer Pajaree Anannarukarn. Germany’s Esther Henseleit closed her season on a positive note with a final-round 70, climbing several spots on the leaderboard.
LPGA Tour: Thitikul sets records en route to victory
The CME Group Tour Championship is not only the final event of the LPGA season but also its most lucrative, awarding $4 million to the winner—making it the richest prize in women’s golf. Thitikul, just 22 years old, claimed her second title at this marquee event, finishing the week at 26-under-par with only three bogeys across four rounds. Her final round included five birdies and just one bogey. Remarkably, she entered the week uncertain if she could even complete the tournament due to a wrist injury. “At the beginning of the week, I said I’d be happy just to play four rounds of golf,” Thitikul said. “Now I’m standing here on Sunday with the trophy in my hands. It’s more than I could have ever wished for. All the hard work with my team really paid off today.”
Historic season for Thitikul
Thitikul’s consistency throughout the season was exceptional. With three victories and an average score of 68.681, she not only topped the Race to CME Globe standings but also broke Annika Sorenstam’s long-standing scoring record of 68.696 set in 2002. “It means a lot to me,” Thitikul reflected. “When I was six years old, I had no idea what the LPGA was or what it meant to be World No. 1. Now that I’m here, I know our job is not only to play golf but also to inspire the next generation.”