Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand capped a spectacular season by winning the CME Group Tour Championship and the $4 million first prize. She closed with a four-under 68 at Tiburon Golf Club, holding off an early charge from countrymate Pajaree Anannarukarn to finish 26-under 262 and win by four shots.
The victory sealed several season-long honors for Thitikul: she secured the LPGA player-of-the-year award and the Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average. A birdie on the final hole not only sealed the championship but also ensured she finished the year with the lowest scoring average in LPGA history. It was her third LPGA Tour victory of the season.
Thitikul started the final round with a six-shot cushion over Nelly Korda. Anannarukarn mounted a threat with five birdies in seven holes, narrowing the gap to two heading to the back nine. Thitikul responded, birdieing the 10th and the 13th holes, while Anannarukarn dropped a shot at the par-three 12th, restoring a five-shot advantage. From there Thitikul steadied her lead and closed out the win.
Her four-shot margin ties her with Jin Young Ko as the only players to win back-to-back CME Group Tour Championships. Meanwhile, Nelly Korda’s season ended without a victory, making her the first player since Tiger Woods in 2010 to follow a seven-win campaign with a year without a win.