World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul justified her top billing in emphatic fashion after edging Japan’s Chizzy Iwai by one stroke to capture and claim her home LPGA Thailand tournament for the first time.
Buoyed by raucous home support, the Thai star kept her composure under sweltering conditions and intense pressure to card a closing four-under-par 68, finishing on 24-under-par.
The victory marked her eighth LPGA Tour title and her first triumph on home soil.
“I would rate it A triple-plus,” said the 23-year-old. “I know it’s not as big as the majors, but winning in my home country means so much to me — sometimes even more than a major.”
Thitikul became the third Thai winner of the tournament, following Ariya Jutanugarn in 2021 and Patty Tavatanakit in 2024.
The win was made even more special with her mother watching in person after the Thai had made eight previous attempts at the event.
“My mom came up to me after I finished 18 and she cried a lot,” Thitikul said. “I told her I finally won in front of you. She was emotional, and that made me emotional too.”
World No.19 Iwai mounted a strong challenge, drawing level briefly after rolling in her second eagle of the day on the par-5 10th.
However, the Japanese added no further birdies and signed for a 66 to finish runner-up on 23-under-par.
Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim, the world No.9, posted a 68 to take third at -22, while compatriot Somi Lee, the second-round leader, finished fourth on 21-under.
Former world No.1 Lydia Ko carded a 68 to tie for fifth alongside Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen, who produced the lowest round of the day with a scintillating 63 as both ended the week on 20-under-par.
It was a disappointing end to the week for Leona Maguire, who shot rounds of 67 on days one and three, but lost ground in rounds two and four with matching level-par 72s.
The Cavan woman found herself playing catchup early after a double bogey on the par-4 second, and she remained two-over through 15 after trading a single birdie with a single bogey on the closing stages of the front nine.
She then made back-to-back birdies on 16 and 17 to claw her way back to level for the day, and that saw her finish tied for 32nd at 10-under-par.
Maguire now heads to Singapore for next week’s HSBC Women’s World Championship at Sentosa Golf Club where another field of 72 will compete for the $3 million purse.
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