Thitikul seals back-to-back titles at LPGA finale

Tuesday, 25 November 2025 01:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The win at CME Group Tour Championship was the seventh of Jeeno Thitikul’s LPGA career

World number one Jeeno Thitikul defended her title at the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship by holding off fellow Thai Pajaree Anannarukarn by four shots.

The 22-year-old fired a four-under-par 68 to finish on 26-under in Florida and secure the $ 4 million (£ 3.1 million) winner’s prize, along with the LPGA player of the year award and Vare Trophy for season low-scoring average.

With her victory at Tiburon Golf Club, Thitikul became only the second player to win back-to-back LPGA Tour Championship titles – matching South Korea’s Ko Jin-young, who triumphed in 2020 and 2021.

Thitikul had started the day six shots clear but had her lead cut to two as compatriot Pajaree, the last qualifier in the 60-player field, made birdies on her first three holes as well as the sixth and seventh.

However, the leader recovered in the $ 11 million (£ 8.4 million) event with an important birdie on the back nine to improve her advantage to five shots.

Pajaree then made bogey at the par-three 12th and Thitikul birdied the 13th to reach 25-under.

Birdies at 16 and 17 followed for Pajaree, but Thitikul sealed her success with a birdie on the 18th.