Jeeno Thitikul finds a new orbit in a dominant LPGA season

At 22 years old, Jeeno Thitikul has already carved her name into women's golf history. Her 2025 LPGA season was nothing short of transcendent—a masterclass in consistency, mental toughness, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. Capping her year with a commanding four-stroke victory at the Tour Championship and a record-breaking scoring average, Thitikul delivered a season that spun the LPGA and herself into a new orbit.

Thitikul's numbers paint a picture of dominance. Across 20 starts, she made 19 cuts, posted 14 top-10 finishes, and secured three victories while accumulating $7.6 million in earnings. Most remarkably, she established a new LPGA scoring average of 68.681—surpassing Annika Sorenstam's long-standing 2002 record of 68.696 by the thinnest of margins. That her season culminated at Tiburon Golf Club, where she defended her CME title from the previous year, underscores not just her talent but her poise under pressure.​

It wasn't all straightforward though, as Thitikul had to endure emotional struggles and a dodgy wrist before securing her legacy with a stunning finish in the Tour Championship. When it mattered most, Thitikul found another gear entirely. Holding a commanding six-shot lead over Nelly Korda heading into Sunday, she faced an unexpected charge from Thai compatriot Pajaree Anannarukarn, who fired five birdies in seven holes to close the gap to two shots. Rather than panic, Thitikul responded with characteristic calm, recording birdies at the 10th and 13th holes while her challenger stumbled at the par-3 12th. By the time she reached the 18th green, the outcome was never in doubt. A final birdie from 10 feet sealed a 26-under 262 finish and a four-shot victory—earning her a $4 million check, the richest purse in women's golf, and pushing her season total to $7.578 million.​

What makes Thitikul's ascent particularly remarkable is the breadth of her skill set. Her scoring dominance was not the product of a single attribute but rather an orchestrated blend of ball-striking excellence, acute short-game touch, and psychological fortitude.​

The mathematics of her achievement are staggering. By the narrowest of margins, she broke a 23-year-old record held by one of golf's all-time greats. Yet Thitikul herself seemed almost humbled by the accomplishment. "I mean, like never, ever dreaming having that record at all," she reflected after securing the CME title.​

With her second straight Tour Championship, Rolex Player of the Year award, and Vare Trophy for lowest scoring average, Thitikul has announced herself not as a rising star but as a defining presence in women's golf. As the 2025 season closes, her legacy is already being written—not in the record books alone, but also in the trail she is blazing at the height of her sport. At just 22, her best may still be ahead.

Jeeno Thitikul - Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images