A Long Time Coming
Jeeno Thitikul has been knocking on this door for years. Runner-up in 2021. Third-place finishes in other years. Close calls that stung a little more each time because this wasn’t just any tournament. This was her home event, the Honda LPGA Thailand, played in front of family and fans who desperately wanted to see their star win on Thai soil.
On Sunday at Siam Country Club’s Old Course in Pattaya, Thitikul finally kicked that door wide open.
The world’s top-ranked player fired a final-round 68 to finish at 24-under par, edging Japan’s Chizzy Iwai by a single stroke in a tense Sunday showdown. It was Thitikul’s eighth career LPGA Tour victory and her third win in just five starts dating back to last season. But this one? This one hit different.
“It means a lot to my family, especially my mom is here and my grandfather and grandmother is here,” Thitikul said after her victory. “Like everyone in my family is here except my sister because she lazy.”
The comment drew laughs, but the emotion behind it was real. This wasn’t just about adding another trophy to the collection. This was about delivering for the people who’ve supported her journey from the beginning.
Iwai Makes Her Move
Thitikul didn’t have it easy down the stretch. Chizzy Iwai, playing in the group ahead, put together a spectacular final round that included two eagles and zero bogeys. She chipped in for eagle on the par-5 seventh hole, then rolled in another eagle putt on the 10th to tie Thitikul at various points during the round.
Iwai’s 66 gave her a clubhouse lead at 23-under, and suddenly the pressure was squarely on Thitikul’s shoulders. The 23-year-old Thai star had to finish strong or watch another player celebrate on her home turf.
“I don’t think I got stressed, like stressed-stressed,” Thitikul said. “I know what I do and then what I have and what I think I really committed.”
That commitment showed on the par-3 17th hole, where Thitikul faced an awkward yardage between clubs. After some deliberation with her caddie, she hit a precise shot that found the green and set up a crucial birdie. That moved her to 24-under and gave her a one-shot cushion heading to the final hole.
Not Perfect, But Good Enough
What made this victory particularly satisfying for Thitikul was that it didn’t require perfection. She admitted before the tournament that she’d been stressing about her iron play, working through swing thoughts with her coach and feeling less than confident about that part of her game.
“I don’t know how I came to this position to win the tournament,” she said. “I think it’s just proving yourself that you don’t have to need perfect shots all the time to be able to win the tournaments. You just need confidence and a lot of commitment on it.”
That’s the mark of a champion. Finding a way to win even when things aren’t clicking perfectly. Thitikul hit 13 of 14 fairways in the final round and made 25 birdies across four days, tied for the tournament lead. She was one of only six players to shoot in the 60s all four rounds.
What’s Next
This victory continues a remarkable run for Thitikul, who won three times last season including the CME Group Tour Championship. She claimed the 2025 Rolex Player of the Year award and set the LPGA Tour’s single-season scoring record with an average of 68.68.
Now she’s won in her second start of 2026, the quickest she’s ever gotten to a victory in a season. She’s also become the third Thai champion of this event, joining Patty Tavatanakit and Ariya Jutanugarn.
For Iwai, the runner-up finish was her best result since last season and a confidence boost heading into the rest of the Asian swing. For Thitikul, it was something more: validation, relief and a promise kept to the fans who’ve been cheering for this moment for years.