Jeeno Thitikul overcame a four-stroke deficit with five holes to play, then outlasted Minami Katsu in a five-hole playoff to win the LPGA Shanghai tournament on Sunday.
The world’s top-ranked golfer, Thitikul bested the overnight leader in the playoff to become a six-time LPGA Tour winner and the first two-time tournament winner of the season.
Thitikul, of Thailand, collected an eagle and seven birdies to highlight a round of 9-under-par 63 on Sunday to finish the tournament at 24-under 264. The 22-year-old rolled in birdie putts on holes Nos. 14-16 before bouncing in an eagle on the 17th of Qizhong Garden Golf Club to draw even with Katsu, who shot a bogey-free 65 on Sunday.
Katsu narrowly missed birdie putts on two of her first four playoff holes before Thitikul sent an approach that landed three feet away from the cup on the fifth playoff hole, contested at the par-4 18th. Thitikul tapped it in to pocket the first-prize purse of $330,000 and record her first win since the Mizuho Americas Open in May.
It also helped take some of the sting away from her four-putt fiasco on the final hole at the Kroger Queen City Championship in Cincinnati last month.
“Definitely cried a lot. Not going lie, cried quite a lot,” Thitikul said. “… I just kept (telling) myself — whatever is happening in dramatic events, not just Cincinnati, but in this year, I just told myself that I need to earn it by myself.”
Thitikul’s multiple wins this season were news to Katsu.
“I didn’t know about that, there were no multiple winners this season. That was the first time I heard about that,” the Japanese golfer said. “So a bit surprised about that. Also, it’s very competitive out here and I feel like there is a chance for everyone. Everyone is grinding hard each day.”
Three-time major champion Minjee Lee of Australia birdied four of her final five holes to card a 68 on Sunday and finish in third place at 19-under.
“Jeeno had 9-under and Minami had 7-under so I felt like I got outplayed today, and I definitely did,” Lee said. “It was kind of cool to see on 17 just the chip-in and obviously the putt going in for eagle. So, yeah, no, I think it was fun to watch them. They’re so young and just starting their — well, I don’t know if they’re starting their careers, but feels like I’ve been out there much longer than them.”
American Jenny Bae (69) tied for fourth place with Miyu Yamashita (67) of Japan and Somi Lee (69) of South Korea at 17-under.
Defending champion Ruoning Yin of China ended up in a tie for 26th place after her final round of 68. She was making her first start since the AIG Women’s Open in August.
