Staff WriterThe CME Championship didn’t just wrap up the LPGA season — it delivered a masterclass from Jeeno Thitikul, who played like she’d been handed the keys to the place. By the time she walked off the 18th green with a 4-under 68 and a second straight CME Group Tour Championship title in her pocket, it felt less like a contest and more like a coronation.
Tee to green, Thitikul was relentless. She hit 12 of 14 fairways, found 15 greens, and needed only 27 putts. Five birdies, one lonely bogey, and a calm that suggested she had absolutely no intention of letting anyone else near the trophy. When the dust settled, she’d dropped 29 birdies over the week — the most in the field — tied for the fewest bogeys, and matched the top mark in greens hit across four rounds. She even rewrote her own career best with a 72-hole score she’d never touched before.
And then came the record that hit like a thunderclap: she passed Annika Sorenstam for the lowest scoring average in an LPGA Tour season, closing out the year at 68.681. Along with that came the Vare Trophy, Rolex Player of the Year, and the kind of stat sheet that’ll make future golf historians nod with a mixture of awe and mild disbelief.
Annanarukarn Surges to Second With Career Best
Runner-up Pajaree Annanarukarn was hardly a bystander. She charged to 22-under, carding seven birdies in her final round — including a three-pack straight out of the gate. She hit every fairway, nearly every green, and rolled in enough putts to secure her lowest career 72-hole score.
Not bad for the player who squeaked into the CME Championship field as the last qualifier at No. 60 in the Race to CME Globe. Her previous best finish this season? T10, way back at the opener. This one? A defining step forward.
Her reflections after sealing second place were grounded and honest:
“I think I just, again, I try to do what I’ve been — like say what I’ve been working on since the beginning of the year and carry on to mid-year and now the season finale…”
Thitikul, who’s watched Annanarukarn’s journey for years, couldn’t have been happier for her friend:
“Great. I think last time that we’re in Korea and then we just go to shopping, right? And Pajaree is just like, I can’t shop…”
You couldn’t script a warmer rivalry if you tried.
Korda Finishes Third With a Thunderbolt
Nelly Korda, meanwhile, did what Nelly Korda does — stayed in the 60s all week and produced one of the tournament’s loudest roars with an eagle hole-out at No. 11. A pure 9-iron, one hop, one scream from Jason, and the ball vanished.
Her take? Classic Korda:
“I hit it really pure… And I’ve never heard Jason yell that loud.”
She walked away third at 20-under, another big finish at a venue where she’s knocked on the door before.
Aces, Fireworks, and a Field That Didn’t Hold Back
Hye-Jin Choi lit up No. 5 with a 5-iron ace from 183 yards. Stephanie Kyriacou added her own 9-iron ace at the par-3 eighth. If you were looking for a quiet Sunday stroll, this was not the place.
Thitikul’s Season: The Hard Numbers of Dominance
Forget the CME Championship for a moment — her whole year was outrageous.
- 2025 wins: 3
- Top-10s: 14
- Career LPGA wins: 7
- Career earnings: $17.3 million
- Fastest ever to reach $8M, $9M, $10M, $11M, $12M, $13M… and now $17M
- Now just $5.2M behind Annika Sorenstam on the all-time money list
- Winningest player of 2025
Two players in history had won back-to-back CME Group Tour Championships before. Now she’s the third. The Thai trailblazer didn’t just raise the bar — she picked it up and walked off with it.
Lopez Tips Her Cap to the Commissioner
Gaby Lopez (4th, -19) also had a word about LPGA Commissioner Craig Kessler:
“Yeah, Craig has been an unbelievable commissioner on the LPGA Tour…”
Professional, heartfelt, direct — a nod to the leadership shaping the modern LPGA.
The Verdict
Jeeno Thitikul walked into the CME Championship as the world No. 1 and walked out with every accolade that mattered. Her second straight title wasn’t just another win — it cemented a season so complete, so sharp, that it’ll be hanging around the sport’s memory for years.
She’s now a seven-time LPGA champion, a double award-winner for 2025, and the kind of player who forces everyone else to raise their game just to stay in her orbit.
And she’s only getting started.
