The leadership of the LPGA History Principle ended Sunday in Shanghai in the hands of Jeeno Thitikul, which is exactly what they needed to the world no. 1 and LPGA.
Entering Buick Lpga Shanghai, the LPGA had 26 unique winners in 25 events. There were zero multi-time winners this season. Nelly Korda, who won seven times last season, is so far without winning Despite being statistically at the same level. Having that very unique winner shows the depth of the LPGA. The tournament is loaded with talent and is only deeper as new talents flourish. But for a tour that hopes to attract more eye eyes, a prevailing player may be needed.
This can be cords. She is still the best golf star for women, and although the victories have not come this season, her game has not left. But there is room for another star, and Thiticul, who crossed the cords like the world no. 1 in August, has the game and personality to become the main strength.
But profit is the main ingredient.
Thitikul won earlier this season at Mizuho Americas Open. Despite not securing her first career title, she has been constant in this year’s diplomas. She was hunting in Chevron before she faded over the weekend. She lost a duel to Minjee Lee in the KPMG women’s PGA Championship and fell into a play off against Grace Kim in the Amundi Evian championship. She entered this week with racing endings in her previous two beginnings, including in Croger Queen City championship, where The one with four knives in the 72nd hole to hand over the trophy to Charey Hull.
It is a world where Thitikul has kidnapped numerous trophies this season, including a major. Instead, she arrived in Shanghai with only one victory and is still linking her wounds from crashing to Kroger.
This brings us on Sunday, where Mine Katsu of Japan entered the last round at Qizhong Garden Golf Club with a two -stroke lead over Thiticul and Lee. A win from Katsu would set the LPGA record for most of the unique winners in a season at 27. Katsu lasted her lead in four after 13 holes and seemed to go to her first career victory.
But Thiticul had other plans.
World no. 1 of birds 14, 15 and 16 before adding an eagle to 17 to draw the level with Katsu. Katsu had a chance to win with a bird at 18, but her blow slipped out of the hole to send the tour to a play off. Thitikul and Katsu traded before for the first four holes of the play off before the world No.1 fills its approach to the fifth hole of the Play off in three feet. Katsu’s approach came out less than the green, and her prolonged chip from the tournament did not crash, which allowed Thiticul to look for the title.
Thitikul wins the Lpga Shanghai title in Play off
After the victory, Thitikul admitted that her catastrophic four-point in Kroger had weighed on her. A redemptive victory in Shanghai had a cleaning feeling for the thitikul.
“Happened what happened in the last event (it was) still still in my mind, but I like to be able to try this tour again, which is … as a dream come true and you know, I’m not holding a thing on my shoulder,” she said.
Star Thai has shown an impressive perspective early in her career. It is a perspective that relieves pressure that is the product of humble beginnings. Thiticul sharply her skills in the rank of rartchaburi, Thailand, a small town not far from Bangkok that does not have its own course. Thitikul said her professional goal has been to make enough money to secure her family a good life, and she believes she has already accomplished that goal. While her talent suggests that she can write her name in the stars, her goals have always remained more based on Earth. At the FM Championship, Thitikul, who had recently crossed the cords as the world no. 1, said it Did not think she was “so good”.
For him, the rest is the rest. She is already amazed at the success she has found. She wants more but claims she will be happy with everything that comes.
This is also the naivety of youth and a humility born of learning the game in a range of direction. Thiticul’s love for the game shines at every step she takes over and every interview after the round she gives. She has a tremendous gratitude for how far she has done it and an tireless work ethic to continue climbing. But it too appears free from the weight of the expectations.
“Great Majardo, I just want to make the cut, to be honest,” Thiticul told KPMG women’s PGA when asked if she felt pressure to win her first first. “It would be really great to win it, and I can definitely say it would be as if everyone dreams of winning a major. For me, what I have now under my belt, I am very happy with everything I have achieved. If I could take it, it would be fine, but if not, I have nothing to regret.”
But on Sunday in Shanghai, World no. 1 showed another side. After her return victory over Katsu, Thiticul accepted the pain of losing to Kroger. That she hit her and led her, such is the case with all elite competitors.
“(I) obviously wept a lot. I wouldn’t lie, we cried too much,” Thitikul said. “And then I have like, you know, a really amazing week, which is that we spend golf time in Canada, and then as remember me what happened, is in the past. And then I am a man who I make mistakes for sure, and then everyone does.
“I just went on to tell myself whatever (it happens) in dramatic events, not just Cincinnati, but this year, I just told myself that I have to win myself. The winner is just a player and then I have to win it myself, and when it is my time, I will want to be again at that moment again.”
They were the tears of a world beaten talent with a competitive fire to be excellent. A sign that a based perspective does not mean that it is complacent. Jeeno Thitikul knows that she can be great and plans to make that vision a reality. Whether or not it comes with a burden depends on it.
But first, she had to wash the pain of her former collapse.
With a prohibited return from history, Jeeno Thitikul found the redemption and showed that it is more on the horizon.
“I have nothing to be afraid of,” Thiticul said Sunday in Shanghai.
