Moneyball – Thitikul strikes it rich at LPGA Tour finale

Mark McGowan
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Jeeno Thitikul (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

Mark McGowan

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In a year where 28 different individuals were crowned LPGA Tour winners, it was rather fitting that world number one Jeeno Thitikul ended the season by claiming the CME Group Tour Championship and the $4 million first prize.

Thitikul ended the streak of different tournament winners when she won the Buick LPGA Shanghai back in October, becoming the first player to win twice at the 26th time of asking, and a dominant performance at Tiburon Golf Club in Florida saw her end the season in style, and take her season’s earnings to $7.6 million on the LPGA Tour and her total career earnings over the $17 million mark.

Fellow Thai Pajaree Annanaruka finished runner up and collected the $1 million second prize while world number two, Nelly Korda, had to settle for third place and $550,000.

A disappointing season for Leona Maguire ended with the Cavan woman finishing 58th in the 60-woman field and earning $55,500.

On the PGA Tour, Finland’s Sami Valimaki held on for a one-stroke win over Max McGreevy in the RSM Classic and became a PGA Tour winner for the first time. After two playoff victories on the DP World Tour, it was the first time that Valimaki has had a regulation victory on either of the main tours and, along with the $1.2 million first prize, he’s secured his PGA Tour status through the 2027 season.

Seamus Power’s tied seventh finish wasn’t enough to lift him into the top 100 in the FedEx Fall rankings and achieve full PGA Tour status for 2026, but it did push him up to 117th and he’ll have conditional status and enough starts to give him the chance to play his way back on.

The $166,886 he earned takes his season’s earnings over the $1.3 million mark.

At the PIF Saudi International, Josele Ballester claimed his first professional victory and the $1 million top prize, while Tom McKibbin added another $50,500 to his impressive haul and Graeme McDowell, claimed $41,000

LPGA CME Group Tour Championship selected payouts

Pos. Name Score Earnings
1 Jeeno Thitikul -26 $4,000,000
2 Pajaree Anannarukarn -22 $1,000,000
3 Nelly Korda -20 $550,000
4 Gaby Lopez -19 $350,000
5 Nasa Hataoka -17 $260,000
6 Sei Young Kim -16 $195,000
T7 Auston Kim -14 $137,000
T7 Patty Tavatanakit -14 $137,000
T7 Brooke M. Henderson -14 $137,000
58 Leona Maguire +2 $55,500

 

RSM Classic selected payouts

Position Player Score Earnings
1 Sami Valimaki -23 $1,260,000
2 Max McGreevy -22 $763,000
3 Ricky Castillo -21 $483,000
T4 Nico Echavarria -19 $294,583
T4 Si Woo Kim -19 $294,583
T4 Lee Hodges -19 $294,583
T7 Sam Stevens -18 $166,886
T7 Rico Hoey -18 $166,886
T7 Doug Ghim -18 $166,886
T7 J.T. Poston -18 $166,886
T7 John Pak -18 $166,886
T7 Séamus Power -18 $166,886
T7 Zac Blair -18 $166,886
T7 Johnny Keefer -18 $166,886
T7 Andrew Novak -18 $166,886
T7 Patrick Rodgers -18 $166,886
T7 Michael Thorbjornsen -18 $166,886

 

PIF Saudi International selected payouts

POSITION PLAYER SCORE EARNINGS
1 Josele Ballester -22 $1,000,000
2 Caleb Surratt -19 $525,000
3 Dean Burmester -17 $300,000
4 Richard Bland -16 $235,000
T5 Lucas Herbert -14 $136,583
T5 Jason Kokrak -14 $136,583
T5 Branden Grace -14 $136,583
T5 Tyrrell Hatton -14 $136,583
T5 Anthony Kim -14 $136,583
T5 Adrian Meronk -14 $136,583
T20 Tom McKibbin -11 $50,500
T27 Graeme McDowell -10 $41,000

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