Jeeno Thitikul capped off her best year with the biggest award in women’s golf, securing her place in the LPGA record books with the lowest scoring average in the tour’s history, in its 75 years of existence.
Despite the apparent ease with which she achieved victory at the CME Group Tour Championship with a four-stroke lead, Thitikul remembers that the path was not always easy.
Two months ago, a finish with four putts cost him the Kroger Queen City Championship.
“I had to put ice on my eyes because I cried a lot”
Jeeno ThitikulIn addition, a wrist injury sustained the previous week, due to the firm ground in Dallas, put her participation in the four rounds of the final tournament at Tiburon Golf Club in doubt, let alone her victory. This forced her to reduce her practice sessions to recover.
“I think at the beginning of the week I was just hoping to be able to complete the four rounds of golf here, more than I could ask for. But to be here on Sunday with the trophy is more than I could really hope for, for sure”
Jeeno Thitikul
In the field, Thitikul demonstrated her dominance, showing the skill of the number one in women’s golf.Jeeno Thitikul celebra su victoria en el CME Group Tour Championship, donde logró el récord del promedio de puntuación más bajo en la historia de la LPGA Tour.With a six-stroke lead over Nelly Korda at the start of the final round at Tiburon Golf Club, Thitikul withstood the initial challenge from Pajaree Anannarukarn with consecutive birdies on the first holes of the second round, securing the title with a 68 under par and her second consecutive victory at the CME Group Tour Championship.
This earned her another check for $4 million, the largest in women’s golf, raising her season earnings to $7,578,300. Her final birdie, from 10 feet, allowed her to break Annika Sorenstam’s scoring record by a narrow margin: 68.681 for Thitikul, against 68.697 for Sorenstam in 2002.
“I never dreamed of having that record. And now, to be able to have the lowest scoring average in my entire career is truly amazing”
What I didn’t know was how close the competition was on Sunday.
Anannarukarn, playing in the previous group, achieved five birdies in seven holes at the beginning to reduce the difference to two strokes, maintaining that distance until the second round.
However, Thitikul responded with birdies on holes 10 and 13, while Anannarukarn made a bogey on hole 12. Thitikul’s lead widened to five strokes, securing her victory. It wasn’t until she reached the 17th hole that she looked at the leaderboard, unaware of the pressure from her Thai compatriot.
Thitikul celebrated with her arms raised after her last birdie, and was showered with champagne on the 18th hole green. Thitikul, with a total of 26 under par, joined Jin Young Ko as the only consecutive winners of the CME Group Tour Championship.
The victory also secured her the LPGA Player of the Year award.
Korda, who was displaced by Thitikul from the top spot in women’s golf, became the first player since Tiger Woods in 2010 to go from seven wins in a season to none the following year.
Korda, who started the day with a six-stroke deficit, had a challenging performance with a bogey and no birdies on the first round. She achieved an eagle on the 11th hole and a 68 on the second round to finish in third place.
Korda still has the Grant Thornton Invitational mixed-team event and the PNC Championship with her father next month.
When describing the year, Korda said: “A challenge.”
“I feel like there were a lot of ups and downs and that made me grow a lot mentally, and I would say that I am also very grateful because success is never linear”
