Jeeno Thitikul repeated as the CME Group Tour Championship winner – and made a little history in the process – while Golf Town Athlete Brooke Henderson notched one of her best finishes of the season.
Thitikul won her second straight CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club, after a 4-under 68 left her four shots clear of countrywoman Pajaree Anannarukarn.
“I love this golf course. To be honest, playing here at CME, our last tournament of the year, give me a really good energy,” Thitikul said.
Nelly Korda finished at 20 under for the week and solo third. In a somewhat remarkable turn-of-events, Korda did not find the winner’s circle once in 2025 after winning an incredible seven times last year.
“Obviously the main goal was to finish on top, but after my first day I did give it a run for it. Even though leaders were super far ahead. Always felt like I was playing catchup in a sense. Overall, yeah, another year. I’m grateful for it all,” Korda said. “Grateful for the highs, lows, and grateful for my team.”
This marked Thitikul’s third victory of 2025. She was the winningest golfer on the LPGA Tour this season, with just one other golfer winning more than once. There was a big question of whether or not she would even play this week as she came into the finale with a hurt wrist.
“Last week (at home) I was (worrying) a lot that I might not be able to play this week, but I think maybe that one is the point that I’m not thinking too much. I’m not expecting things. I just like ‘Oh, I (will be) able to play. That’s really good enough,” Thitikul said.
With the US$4-million winner’s cheque, Thitikul became the fastest golfer in the LPGA Tour’s history to reach $17 million of career earnings and is already in the top-10 in career earnings on the LPGA Tour – having just completed her third full season.
With the win, Thitikul also wrapped up Player of the Year honours along with the Vare Trophy for low scoring average. Her scoring average of 68.68 set the single-season record for lowest ever, topping Annika Sorsenstam’s number from 2002.
She has also earned the most money by a Thai golfer in the history of the LPGA Tour and knows she can help inspire the next generation who wants to come along.
“I’m just really (thinking) back to when I was six years old. I was just a really young kid that had no idea what the LPGA was (or) what a world No. 1 looked like,” Thitikul said. “But as I’m stepping up here on the LPGA Tour, I know our part is playing golf but also inspiring the next generation is part of our job as well.”
Brooke has, of course, inspired so many young Canadian golfers over her decade as a pro. Her 11th season on the LPGA Tour closes with a tie for seventh at the season finale – her sixth top-10 finish in 11 starts at the season finale CME Group Tour Championship and second in a row.
Brooke ended the year with three top-10s and of course, the big win at the CPKC Women’s Open in August. She’ll tee it up alongside Corey Conners – back at Tiburon Golf Club – for the third year in a row at the Grant Thornton Invitational in a few weeks’ time to close out her golfing year.
Brooke and Corey have made for a wonderful pair at that event so far, finishing second and tied for fourth in their two appearances together.