The CME Group Tour Championship closed the 2024 LPGA Tour with its last round on Sunday, 24 November. But who took the record-breaking prize purse of $4 million home? Well, the winner is none other than Jeeno Thitikul, a 2022 rookie winner who won the JTBC Classic and the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship. This hefty win marked her career’s fourth.
As 2024 ends, her current official earnings for the season hold a total of $6,059,309. Thitikul also won $1 million earlier this week in the LPGA’s Aon Risk Reward Challenge, making her earnings $5M in just a week. Her feat in Naples was achieved as Thitikul numbered her impressive scoreboard with six birdies, one eagle, and only one bogey in the fourth round. Carding a total score of -22, Jeeno Thitikul broke the previous 2007 record of earning the maximum in one LPGA season held by Lorena Ochoa with $4,364,994.
Thitikul won twice this year, and then also her earnings are way higher than Korda’s. All thanks to the $11M purse at the CME Group Tour Championship. On 24 November, the Thai golfer stepped on the greens alongside Angel Yin, who went to the final round with a lead and fired some dangerous shots on the 17th and 18th holes.
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“I don’t know what happened to me on 17 and 18, Thitikul expressed during the trophy ceremony in Florida. “I make a birdie on 17, giving me a good chance. Having an eagle—it’s more than I can ask for.” Thitikul won the match when she made her birdie putt. Nelly Korda, the No. 1 in the world Rolex board, scored 66 to finish at 15 under par, while Charley Hull of England, who was four strokes behind Korda heading into the final round, played a level-par 66 to finish at 11 under.
After Thitikul’s historic win, Korda expressed how, after the final round, she felt motivated: “Just excited and proud of how this year went,” she added. Notably, Nelly Korda won 7 times this year, amassing $4,391,930 this year, surpassing Ochoa too.
Now that the 4x LPGA Tour winner is the player with the most on-course earnings this year, is she going to spend it well?
How does Jeeno Thitikul plan to spend her millions?
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When asked about her plans of what she will do with the money, she said, “Definitely spend it…” with a giggle. Without a doubt, that is an honest response. Thitikul also revealed how she plans on shopping a lot, but at the same time “saving it for my parents as well.” After the trophy ceremony, Thitikul took out time to thank her fans and took it to X to pay gratitude for their support.
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Interestingly, during the tournament, when Hull was asked about what she would end up doing with the money if she won, she said, “I wouldn’t really do nothing different. Just carry on the way I am. Yeah, I’m happy the way I am, so just put it in the bank.” Talking about how she spent her victory money in 2016; “I remember just buying loads of my friends drinks because we went out on the Monday night when we got home.” Sounds interesting!
As the 2024 CME winner looks ahead to the 2025 season, she is not forgetting to celebrate her win. After receiving Sunday’s check she asked excitedly “Anybody hungry?” with a grin, and then responded, “I am.” And, with her $4 million earnings, she can eat anywhere she wants for a while.
