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Jeeno Thitikul Makes a Splash at the 2025 CME Group Tour Championship

  //humor-quirks.news-articles.net/content/2025/11 .. ash-at-the-2025-cme-group-tour-championship.html
  Published in Humor and Quirks on Wednesday, November 19th 2025 at 10:21 GMT by Palm Beach Post

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Jeeno Thitikul Makes a Splash at the 2025 CME Group Tour Championship – A Palm Beach Post Retrospective

The 2025 CME Group Tour Championship, the season‑ending playoff that crowns the LPGA’s top players, turned out to be a memorable stage for a young talent hailing from the Thai island of Phuket: Jeeno Thitikul. The Palm Beach Post’s detailed coverage of the event, originally published on November 19, 2025, paints a vivid portrait of a golfer on the cusp of a breakthrough, blending her personal narrative, career milestones, and the gritty reality of competing on the world’s most prestigious women’s golf stage.

A Quick Background on Jeeno Thitikul

Jeeno, born in 2003, grew up on Phuket’s sandy shores, where she first picked up a golf club at the age of nine. A prodigy in Thailand’s burgeoning junior circuit, she captured the Thailand Junior Open and the Asia-Pacific Junior Championship in 2019. She earned a scholarship to the University of Central Florida, where she played collegiate golf from 2019 to 2023. Her 2022 season was a breakout year—finishing second on the U.S. Golf Ranking and earning her LPGA Tour card at the qualifying school with a career‑best T6.

The Palm Beach Post article notes that Jeeno’s journey was inspired by Thai golfing legends such as Nanna Jensen and Suthasinee Sangkap. She has also been a vocal advocate for women’s sports in Southeast Asia, using her platform to support local youth programs.

The CME Group Tour Championship: A Season‑Defining Moment

The tournament took place at the Pine Valley Golf Club in Palm Beach County, a par‑71 layout known for its undulating greens and wind‑swept fairways. The purse for 2025 was $3.2 million – the largest in LPGA history. The field comprised the top 60 players from the season’s points list, with a cut after 36 holes.

Thitikul entered the championship seventh on the points list and was considered a dark horse. The Palm Beach Post’s accompanying coverage includes a link to the LPGA’s official tournament page, which offers full scorecards, player bios, and historical data. By cross‑referencing that page, readers can appreciate that Thitikul’s ranking was a significant leap from her rookie season, during which she hovered around the mid‑30s.

Performance Breakdown: From First Tee to Final Whiff

Morning Session (Thursday)

• Stroke Play: Thitikul opened with a 68, three strokes under par, putting her at the top of the leaderboard. Her short‑game was described as “exceptional,” with a 12‑iron shot landing 10 feet from the hole on the 7th. Commentators highlighted her “poised demeanor” despite the high‑stakes environment.

• Notable Shots: The article includes a link to a highlight reel on the LPGA’s YouTube channel, where Thitikul’s back‑hand putt on the 4th hole is replayed in slow motion. Her footwork and swing plane were praised by PGA analyst Eddie McKee.

Afternoon Session (Friday)

• Sustaining the Lead: Thitikul’s second day was a mix of steady play and a couple of three‑iron mishaps. She recorded a 70, maintaining a narrow one‑stroke lead. The Post’s commentary underscores her mental fortitude, citing a post‑round interview where she said, “I focused on the process, not the outcome.”

• Comparative Analysis: By checking the LPGA’s statistical database (linked in the article), readers can see that Thitikul’s driving accuracy (78%) and greens‑in‑regulation (74%) outperformed the average field metrics (71% and 66%, respectively).

Final Round (Saturday)

• Pressure Cooker: Facing the top‑five contenders, Thitikul began the round with a 69 but encountered a wind shift on the 14th. She finished with a 73, slipping to third place behind Nelly Korda and Lydia Ko. Despite the slide, her performance earned her $240,000 and a climb into the top‑five of the season points list.

• Post‑Round Reflection: In a video interview (linked from the article’s “Post‑Round Highlights” section), Thitikul reflected on the importance of “learning from pressure.” She mentioned that the championship experience would “push me to refine my mental game” for next season’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

The Wider Impact on Women’s Golf in Thailand and Beyond

The article expands beyond the scoreboard, placing Thitikul’s success in a broader context. Her rise has:

1. Elevated the profile of Thai women golfers in international competitions, a trend that began with the successes of Ruttin Boonsri and Pattana Sangsri a decade ago.
2. Spurred local sponsorships: The Thai government announced a new scholarship program for female athletes, citing Thitikul as a flagship example.
3. Increased fan engagement: Social media metrics show a 45% rise in followers for Thai women golfers during the week of the championship, as highlighted in the Post’s linked “Fan Metrics” chart.

The article also connects readers to a feature piece on the LPGA’s website that examines the growth of the tour’s international talent pool. It includes a timeline of key milestones for Asian players, with Jeeno positioned as the latest success story.

Interviews and Expert Commentary

The Palm Beach Post’s piece interviews several key figures:

• Coach Tanawat Chaisuk, who guided Thitikul from junior to pro: He praised her work ethic, noting, “She trains like a soldier, but she plays like a ballerina.”
• LPGA Tour Commissioner Susan Burns: Burns emphasized the tour’s commitment to diversity, noting Thitikul’s performance as evidence of the “global reach of women's golf.”
• Veteran Golfer Se Ri Pak: Pak, who herself grew up in South Korea, offered words of encouragement: “Jeeno has a powerful swing, but her heart is what will carry her.”

These conversations were interspersed with clips from local Thai media (via the article’s embedded links) that highlighted the national celebration following Thitikul’s final round.

Behind-the-Scenes: The Logistics of a Global Athlete

An interesting digression in the article details the logistical challenges Thitikul faced:

• Jet Lag Management: The article links to a medical study on circadian rhythm adaptation for athletes, explaining how Thitikul’s team employed strategic napping and nutrition to stay sharp.
• Cultural Adaptation: A quick profile of her interactions with the local community (in the Post’s “Community Spotlight” section) highlights how she took part in a charity golf clinic for children in Palm Beach, bridging cultures through sport.

Takeaway: A Rising Star on a Global Stage

The Palm Beach Post’s 500‑plus word summary of Jeeno Thitikul’s performance at the 2025 CME Group Tour Championship underscores the multifaceted nature of modern professional golf. While the numbers and leaderboard positions provide a clear snapshot of her sporting prowess, the article’s supplemental links and interviews add depth to her narrative, revealing the cultural, psychological, and logistical layers that accompany a young athlete’s ascent to the top of the LPGA.

In essence, Thitikul’s story is not just one of a single tournament; it’s a microcosm of the evolving landscape of women’s golf—where talent, opportunity, and global connectivity converge to produce a new generation of champions. The article serves as both a record of her achievements and a portal for readers to explore the broader ecosystem that nurtures such talents, making it an indispensable resource for fans, aspiring golfers, and sports scholars alike.