Jeeno Thitikul secured the biggest payout in women’s golf history with a dramatic eagle-birdie finish at the CME Group Tour Championship on Sunday, clinching the $4 million first-place prize.
Trailing by two strokes with two holes to play, Thitikul’s eagle-birdie sequence, mirroring her performance from the previous day, allowed her to edge Angel Yin by one shot. Thitikul fired a 7-under 65 on Sunday to finish the tournament at 22 under, surpassing Yin, who shot 66 and ended at 21 under.
Yin, who started the final round with a two-shot advantage, was poised to claim victory until a missed birdie putt on the 18th hole left her settling for second place and a $1 million runner-up prize.
“I’m pretty awesome. … I’ve learned that I just need to believe in myself and that’s what I did,” said Yin, who rebounded from a leg injury that caused her to miss the start of the season.
Lydia Ko, an Olympic gold medalist, shot a 63 on Sunday to finish third at 17 under, commenting, “I’m excited to be able to work hard this offseason and have another great 2025.”
The final moments of the tournament were defined by Thitikul and Yin’s duel on the 18th hole. Both players found the fairway off the tee, but Thitikul’s approach shot came to rest just 5 feet from the pin, while Yin’s landed 15 feet away. After Yin missed her birdie putt, Thitikul sank hers to secure the win.
In addition to her $4 million prize, Thitikul earned a $1 million bonus through the Aon Risk-Reward Challenge, bringing her total earnings for the week to $5 million.
“All the hard work paid off,” Thitikul said, reflecting on her achievement.
Yin and Thitikul started the final round tied at 15 under. Thitikul quickly surged ahead with birdies on two of the first three holes, but Yin caught up after Thitikul bogeyed the fourth hole while Yin made birdie. Yin appeared to regain the upper hand after her 25-foot birdie on the 16th hole, giving her a two-shot lead, but a miss on the 17th green opened the door for Thitikul.
Ruoning Yin, who shot 68, finished fourth at 16 under, while Nelly Korda and Narin An both ended at 15 under, with Korda shooting 66 and An posting a 68.
Ayaka Furue, who finished at 13 under, secured the Vare Trophy as the LPGA’s season-long scoring champion, edging Haeran Ryu.
Lexi Thompson, who plans to step away from full-time golf, finished at 2 under. She will return to action at the Grant Thornton Invitational in December, teaming up with Rickie Fowler.
Two players announced their retirements after the round: Marina Alex, who shot 66 to finish at 12 under, and Ally Ewing, who closed with a 68 to end at 11 under.
“I’m happy to have ended on my best,” Alex said, holding a bottle of sparkling wine and a bouquet of flowers. “I’ve been at peace with my decision. It’s just so nice to be able to share the walk with my family this week,” Ewing added.
