Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand capped off her best year with the biggest cash prize in women’s golf. She held off an early challenge from Pajaree Anannarukarn and closed with a four-under 68 to win the CME Group Tour Championship, claiming the $4m payoff.
The victory also assured her of the LPGA player-of-the-year award and the Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average. It was her third LPGA Tour win this year, and a final-hole birdie at Tiburon Golf Club gave her the lowest scoring average in tour history.
Thitikul began the final round with a six-shot lead over Nelly Korda. Anannarukarn made a charge with five birdies in seven holes to get within two going to the back nine.
Thitikul birdied the 10th and 13th holes while Anannarukarn dropped a shot at the par-three 12th, restoring a five-shot advantage. From there Thitikul closed it out, finishing 26-under 262 for a four-shot victory and joining Jin Young Ko as the only back-to-back winners of the CME Group Tour Championship.
Korda becomes the first player since Tiger Woods in 2010 to go from a seven-win season to not winning the following year.