The LPGA Tour closed its doorways with an undisputed winner: Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul. The world primary accomplished the season along with her third title, the CME Group Championship, which boasts a $4 million prize for the winner—the biggest verify awarded in any ladies's sport since Yelena Rybakina's $5.25 million WTA Finals win this November. Solely Japan's Yamashita, with two titles, has additionally gained multiple match among the many 31 held by the world's premier circuit in its most democratic season.
The 22-year-old Asian golfer repeated for the second consecutive 12 months because the league's high earner, confirming the quiet dominance she has exerted over the previous 12 months and a half, throughout which she has gained 5 titles, bringing her earnings in 4 years as knowledgeable to $17.36 million, inserting her seventh on the all-time cash checklist.
As well as, the Dallas-based participant set a brand new LPGA file for common rating. She completed the 12 months with a 68.68 common, surpassing Annika Sorenstam's 2002 file of 68.697. "Profitable the Vare Trophy (Rolex Participant of the Yr) offers me goosebumps as a result of it means becoming a member of a bunch of one of the best in historical past."
Thitikul, a golfer who confirmed promise from a really younger age, earlier than she was 13, of changing into knowledgeable star—she was the world's primary beginner for 12 weeks—additionally suffered setbacks. He revealed this on the post-tournament press convention.
Jeeno Thitikul, statements
"I bear in mind the day I arrived in Dallas after the Kroger," final September, after having given away the title with 4 putts on the ultimate gap. "I put a chilly compress on my eyes as a result of I cried a lot. That's what I bear in mind. After which, voluntarily, I took an image like this. I needed to remind myself that the day you get there, or the day you expertise happiness in your life, there will even be days of disappointment. However neither one nor the opposite defines who I’m."
On the CME Group Open, the match in Naples, Florida, the place she efficiently defended her title, Thitikul, who has but to win a serious, triumphed by 4 strokes over her compatriot Pajaree Anannarukarn and 6 over Nelly Korda, the American from whom she dethroned the world primary rating. Carlota Ciganda, within the 12 months she returned to successful methods on the LPGA Tour, completed thirty ninth. "How will you have a good time?" the champion was requested. "I don't know, I feel I'll buy groceries," she replied.
