Thai star Jeeno Thitikul finished eagle-birdie to win the CME Group Tour Championship on Sunday, edging American Angel Yin by one shot in the LPGA Tour’s US$11 million season-ending showpiece.
Following an exciting back-and-forth battle at Tiburón Golf Club, it was Thitikul who emerged victorious with a total of 22-under-par 266 (71-67-63-65). Her fourth career LPGA Tour victory was worth US$4 million, the largest first-place prize in women’s golf.
Thitikul and Yin began the final day tied for the lead on 15-under-par and the duo fought out a see-saw battle, which seemed to swing the American’s way when she birdied the par-three 16th hole to lead by two shots.
But the 21-year-old Thai player found the green in two shots at the par-five 17th hole and sank the eagle putt from 15 feet to tie Yin, who missed birdie from inside five feet. Both players found the fairway off the tee at the par-four closing hole, and it was Thitikul who hit first and knocked her approach shot to within five feet.
After Yin narrowly missed her birdie attempt from 25 feet, Thitikul drained hers for the biggest win of her career, and her first individual title since the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship in September 2022. Thitikul won the pairs format Dow Championship with her good friend Ruoning Yin of China in June this year.
“Last year I put too much pressure on myself and I’m not having fun on the course, not smiling, not being myself when I play. I just realised, I think, beginning of this year that I was injured and after the injury I had a lot of doubt in myself,” shared Thitikul.
“Today, standing here with the trophy, it’s more than I can ask for. And then I knew that I have come close to lifting lots of trophies but haven’t done it yet, but having done it here is a kind of release and I can put everything down and can breathe now,” she added.
The US$4 million winner’s purse wasn’t the only seven-figure windfall for Thitikul during the week of the CME Group Tour Championship. It was officially announced on Tuesday that she had won the 2024 Aon Risk Reward Challenge, a season-long award that comes with a US$1 million prize.
“Like I said, my million is good enough, at Aon. I think I’m at the point that I’m not really thinking about the prize money that much,” said Thitikul. “Like Lydia Ko said at Grant Thornton, we’re not here for the prize money. We’re here for growing the game of golf more.”
While Yin was disappointed to miss out on her second career LPGA Tour victory after such an incredible week of golf, the 26-year-old’s runner-up result was her best of the 2024 season and was worth US$1 million. Sunday’s result and the entire week at the CME Group Tour Championship was about more than just the money for Yin, as she had to sit out the early part of this season with an ankle injury.
“I’ve learned that I just need to believe in myself, and that’s what I did. And then that’s it. Just need to keep doing that, believe in myself,” said Yin.
Two-time CME Group Tour Championship winner Lydia Ko of New Zealand fired a closing nine-under-par 63 to finish in solo third place on 17-under-par overall, while three-time 2024 winner Ruoning Yin was fourth a shot further back. Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings No. 1 Nelly Korda of the United States tied for fifth on 15-under-par alongside Korean Narin An, while An’s compatriot and defending champion Amy Yang settled for joint eighth with a 13-under-par total.
Thitikul also won the LPGA Tour’s 2024 Money Title with US$6,059,309 in season earnings, breaking Lorena Ochoa’s single-season earnings record by more than US$1.6 million. She is also the 2024 Race to the CME Globe champion.
Ayaka Furue claimed Vare Trophy honours with a season average of 69.988, becoming the first Japanese player to do so. Her compatriot Mao Saigo took home the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year award following a consistent season.
