Thitikul walked away with all the goods in south-western Florida, even with an achy wrist that started to bother her last week; the huge cheque, the tournament title, the scoring record and LPGA Player of the Year honours.
Jeeno Thitikul made a four-foot birdie putt on the fifth playoff hole to win the Buick LPGA Shanghai and end a crazy LPGA streak by becoming the LPGA Tour’s first multiple winner in 2025.
Nelly Korda’s dominant run as the No.1 golfer in the world is about to come to an end, as Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul will move into the top spot for the second time in her career.
The prodigious Thai, who’ll celebrate her 22nd birthday this Thursday, follows her compatriot Patty Tavatanakit, who picked up the winner’s cheque last year as part of the $US5 million Saudi’s flagship women’s golf tournament in 2024.
Sportico looked at both endorsement money and what’s earned by competing (whether it’s salary or winnings) to create its list. Together, the top 15 earned $US221 million, which is 27 percent more than what the top 15 made in 2023.
Asked what she planned to do with her record-breaking windfall after the round, Jeeno Thitikul delivered a hilariously honest – and painfully relatable – answer.
Thitikul’s talent-affirming fourth career LPGA title solidifies the 21-year-old as a rising foil amid the tour turning a new chapter with a rash of past winners retiring.