Jeeno Thitikul Claims Biggest Prize In History Of Women's Game With Victory In CME Group Tour Championship

The Thai star held off the challenge of Angel Yin to claim the title at Tiburon Golf Club and a record first prize of $4m

Jeeno Thitikul takes a shot at the CME Group Tour Championship
Jeeno Thitikul beat Angel Yin to the CME Group Tour Championship title
(Image credit: Getty Images)
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Jeeno Thitikul has won the largest single prize in the history of the women’s game with victory at the LGPA Tour’s season-closer, the CME Group Tour Championship.

The Thai star claimed her fourth LPGA Tour win at Tiburon Golf Club in Florida following a final round of 65. That hands her a mammoth check for $4m from an $11m overall purpose, while it also ensures her maiden Race to the CME Globe title.

Jeeno Thitikul is given her prize check for winning the CME Group Tour Championship

Jeeno Thitikul won the biggest single prize in the history of women's golf

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Thitikul began the final round tied with Angel Yin following a nine-under 63 on Saturday that included seven birdies and an eagle.

She didn’t quite scale those heights on Sunday, but she still produced an assured seven-under 65 as she closed out the title by one shot over Yin to finish 22-under for the tournament.

Thitikul got off to a fast start with two birdies in her opening three holes as her opponent began with three successive pars. However, the pair were back level after the fourth, when Thitikul made her only bogey of the day as Yin birdied.

Another birdie from Thitikul at the seventh was followed by Yin’s second birdie of the day at the eighth, and they headed to the turn neck-and-neck.

Yin was the first to take the initiative on the back nine, with birdies at the 10th and 12th to open up a two-shot lead, but former World No.1 Thitikul hit back with successive birdies on the 13th and 14th. However, she remained one behind Yin after the American also birdied the 14th.

Angel Yin takes a shot at the CME Group Tour Championship

Angel Yin missed out on victory by one shot

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Yin regained her two-shot lead on the 16th with her sixth birdie of the day, and in a blemish-free round, it looked as though the only way to stop her claiming victory would be a moment of magic from Thitikul.

It duly arrived on the very next hole as she drained a sizeable putt for eagle to draw level after Yin uncharacteristically rolled her birdie putt wide.

With the winner of the CME Group Tour Championship and the Race to the CME Globe resting on the final hole, Thitikul’s approach on the 18th was pure brilliance, rolling within a few feet of the hole and the chance of birdie.

After Yin made par, Thitikul made no mistake with her birdie putt to close out the biggest win of her career.

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Mike Hall
Mike Hall
News Writer

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories. 

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game. 

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course. 

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.