Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul capped an extraordinary season on the LPGA Tour by winning the CME Group Tour Championship, earning the sport’s largest cash prize and two of its most prestigious awards.
Thitikul closed with a four-under 68 at Tiburon Golf Club, fending off a late challenge from fellow Thai Pajaree Anannarukarn to secure a four-shot victory. The triumph not only brought her a $4 million payout but also confirmed her as LPGA Player of the Year and the recipient of the Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average.
This victory marked Thitikul’s third win of the LPGA season. A birdie on the final hole further cemented her record-setting scoring average, the lowest in LPGA Tour history.
The tournament began with Thitikul holding a six-shot lead over American Nelly Korda, the world No. 1 she displaced earlier this year. Anannarukarn made a late surge with five birdies across seven holes, narrowing the gap to two shots on the back nine.
Thitikul quickly regained control with birdies on the 10th and 13th holes, while Anannarukarn dropped a stroke on the par-three 12th, restoring a five-shot advantage. From there, Thitikul maintained her composure to finish the tournament at 26-under 262.
With this win, Thitikul joins Jin Young Ko as the only player to achieve back-to-back CME Group Tour Championship titles. Meanwhile, Korda became the first player since Tiger Woods in 2010 to go from a seven-win season to a winless follow-up year.
