Jeeno Thitikul is making 2026 a season to remember. The Thai star closed out the LOTTE Championship in Hawaii on October 6, 2026, with a three-stroke victory — her fourth LPGA title of the year and the 11th of her career.
What Happened
Thitikul controlled the final round at the LOTTE Championship but did not have it entirely her own way. Playing alongside a charging Ina Yoon — the world No. 17 who caught fire on the front nine — Thitikul had to withstand real pressure before pulling clear down the stretch. A late double bogey briefly tightened the margin, but she answered immediately, closing with two birdies to seal a three-shot win over Yoon.
“I don’t know how I did that, but obviously, it’s really like good battle with Ina. She played incredible on the front nine,” Thitikul said of the duel.
The win is the fourth of Thitikul’s 2026 campaign, a total that matches Nelly Korda’s win count for the season. Korda has been the dominant name in women’s golf in recent years, and the fact that Thitikul has pulled level in victories signals just how strong her year has been.
Why It Matters
At 11 career LPGA titles, Thitikul now sits one win away from passing Ariya Jutanugarn for the most LPGA Tour victories by a Thai golfer. Jutanugarn, a two-time major champion and former world No. 1, has been the standard-bearer for Thai women’s golf for a decade. Thitikul moving to the brink of that record is a generational milestone for the sport in Thailand.
Thitikul previously held the world No. 1 ranking and currently sits at No. 2. A four-win season keeps her firmly in the conversation at the top of the women’s game, alongside major winners like KPMG Women’s PGA champion Haeran Ryu and the ever-present Nelly Korda. It has been a banner year for the LPGA, from major drama at the Evian Championship onward, and Thitikul’s consistency has been one of its defining threads.
The timing matters, too. With the LPGA season heading into its Asian swing and year-end stretch, momentum and world ranking points carry extra weight. A dominant win in Hawaii positions Thitikul well for the events that decide season-long honors.
What This Means For You
Thitikul’s closing stretch is a lesson every amateur can use: how you respond to a mistake matters more than the mistake itself. After a late double bogey, she didn’t get defensive — she made two birdies to finish the job. The next time a bad hole threatens your round, the goal is not to “protect” a score but to keep committing to good swings.
Her game is built on elite ball-striking and tempo, two things club golfers can actively train. If you want more consistent contact, our guide to how to compress the golf ball with your irons breaks down the impact position that produces crisp, controlled shots. And for repeatable tempo under pressure, the 9-to-3 drill is one of the simplest ways to groove a reliable, pressure-proof swing — exactly the kind of control Thitikul leaned on coming down the stretch.
Key Takeaways
- Jeeno Thitikul won the 2026 LOTTE Championship in Hawaii by three strokes over Ina Yoon on October 6.
- It was her fourth LPGA title of 2026, matching Nelly Korda’s season total, and the 11th win of her career.
- She is now one victory from passing Ariya Jutanugarn for the most LPGA wins by a Thai golfer.
- Thitikul, a former world No. 1, currently ranks No. 2 in the world.
- She rebounded from a late double bogey with two closing birdies — a masterclass in finishing.
The LOTTE Championship is on the move in 2027: the LPGA’s new 2027 schedule shifts it to spring as part of a wider regional overhaul worth more than $147 million.
