World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul thrilled her home crowd — and her mother — when she shot a 68 to win the Honda LPGA Thailand by one stroke on Sunday.
Playing on a humid day in which the temperature reached the low 90s, Thitikul kept her cool and birdied the par-4 17th hole to take the lead over Chizzy Iwai of Japan. For the tournament, Thitikul played to a 24-under 264 at the Siam Country Club Old Course in Pattaya.
It was her first win in her home tournament.
Iwai (66) got off to a fast start on Sunday, playing the first 10 holes at 6-under with two birdies and two eagles. But she couldn’t get any closer, ending the final round with eight consecutive pars.
Hyo Joo Kim (68) finished two strokes back at 22-under and in sole possession of third place. Fellow South Korean Somi Lee (68) was in fourth place at 21-under.
New Zealand’s Lydia Ko (68) finished at 20-under, tied for fifth with Nanna Koerstz Madsen of Denmark, who recorded a 63 to surge up the leaderboard.
This was the eighth LPGA Tour victory for Thitikul, who turned 23 on Friday. She ranked it as a career highlight after the round.
“I would rate it like A-plus-plus-plus,” she sad. “I know it’s not that big event like compared to the majors, but like for us, for me, winning in my home country just means a lot to me, sometime more than a major feeling.”
Thitikul said Saturday her mother doesn’t see her play much, and she was delighted her mom was in the gallery on Sunday to share in the experience.
“My mom just came up to me when I finished 18 and she cried a lot, and then I told her, ‘I finally won the tournament in front of you. Like you were here with me.’
“So she’s just really emotional. Make me emotional, too.”
For Iwai, the experience could foreshadow a strong season, she said.
“It was good play. Today is 6-under,” Iwai said. “Yeah, not bad, but didn’t get win.
“…I get a lot of confidence [from] that play today, so, yeah, I feel more get confidence and then trust my instincts, trust myself. It’s going to be fun this season.”
Defending champion Angel Yin (70) finished at 5-under 283 and in a tie for 48th.
