Jeeno Thitikul trailed by two strokes and had two holes left to play. But her motivation, more than ever, was to achieve the largest financial prize in the history of women’s golf. Then an eagle and another birdie made it possible.
The Thai golfer won the CME Group Tour Championship, which distributed a purse of 11 million dollars, four of them for the winner, the largest cash prize in the history of women’s golf. Thitikul shot a card of 65 strokes, seven under par, on the final day and finished one stroke ahead of the American Angel Yin (66).
Yin had a two-stroke lead entering the 17th tee, but ended up settling for the million-dollar check for second place.
The winner, 21 years old, was clear in her message: “Being here with the trophy is more than I can ask for,” she said. And when they asked him what the money would be spent on, he did not refuse to answer either. “Definitely spending it,” Thitikul said. “That’s an honest answer, no doubt.”
