The LPGA has concluded its landmark 75th season, marked by a historic performance from Jeeno Thitikul. The Thai golfer clinched the CME Group Tour Championship with a four-shot lead, setting a new scoring average record in the process. Thitikul’s achievements extend beyond the scoreboard, earning her the largest payday in women’s golf history.
Jeeno Thitikul Makes History at the CME Group Tour Championship
Jeeno Thitikul captured the CME Group Tour Championship, concluding the LPGA’s 75th season with an impressive four-shot victory. Her final-round birdie not only sealed her win but also established a new record for the lowest scoring average in LPGA history, finishing the season with an average of 68.681. This remarkable performance surpassed the previous record held by Annika Sorenstam, who averaged 68.697 in 2002.
Significant Earnings and Accomplishments
In addition to her historic win, Thitikul’s victory came with a substantial $4 million prize, the largest awarded in women’s golf. This success brings her total season earnings to a remarkable $7,578,300, more than doubling her annual income. Competing against another Thai golfer, Pajaree Anannarukarn, Thitikul maintained her lead despite Anannarukarn’s strong performance in the final round. Anannarukarn earned $1 million for her second-place finish, marking the best result of her year and accounting for a significant portion of her overall earnings.
Thitikul’s dominance this season earned her the prestigious 2025 Rolex Player of the Year Award and the Vare Trophy, awarded for the lowest scoring average. Her earnings this season nearly double those of the second-highest earner, Australia’s Minjee Lee, who grossed just over $3.9 million in LPGA events.
At just 22 years old, Thitikul has recorded 65 top-25 finishes in her career, with 55 being top-ten finishes. Since joining the LPGA in 2022, she has won a total of seven events, accumulating $17.4 million in career earnings.
On a notable note, U.S. golfer Nelly Korda finished fifth in the overall season rankings, the highest among American players. Despite having won seven tournaments last year, Korda did not secure any victories this season, a feat reminiscent of Tiger Woods’ 2010 season.
In reflecting on her remarkable achievements, Thitikul expressed her excitement, stating, “Standing here with the trophy on Sunday, it’s just like more than I really, really could ask for, for sure.”
John is a seasoned journalist at The Bothside News, specializing in balanced reporting across news, sports, business, and lifestyle. He believes in presenting multiple perspectives to help readers form informed opinions. His work embodies the publication’s philosophy that truth emerges from examining all sides of every story.
