Jeeno Thitikul Bio
Atthaya “Jeeno” Thitikul, born on 20 February 2003 in Ban Pong, Ratchaburi, Thailand, is one of the most decorated Thai professional golfers of her generation. She competes on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour, and is widely regarded as one of the fastest rising stars in the modern women’s game. Thitikul became the youngest golfer ever to win a professional tournament at the age of 14, and by her early twenties she had reached the top of the Women’s World Golf Rankings twice.
Early Life and Background
Atthaya “Jeeno” Thitikul was born to Montree and Siriwan Thitikul in Ban Pong, a district in the Ratchaburi province of Thailand. Her introduction to the sport came at the age of six, when her father gave her a choice between golf and tennis. Curious by nature, Thitikul chose golf after watching pictures of both sports on YouTube, a decision that would shape the rest of her life.
She balanced her early training with formal schooling and graduated from Sarasas Witaed Nakhonpathom School in Nakhon Pathom. Her unusual composure on the course as a young teenager drew early attention from coaches and national team selectors. She is also commonly known by the nicknames “Jeen” and “Jeeno.”
Path to Professional Golf
Thitikul first stepped onto the international stage in February 2017, when she made her LPGA Tour debut at the Honda LPGA Thailand at 14 years old, finishing 37th. Months later, she captured the Ladies European Thailand Championship as an amateur, becoming the youngest person ever to win a professional golf tour event at 14 years, 4 months and 19 days. The previous record had been held by Canadian Brooke Henderson, and Thitikul’s mark stood until April 2023.
Her amateur résumé expanded rapidly with additional titles, including the Taiwan Amateur Open, the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship, and a gold medal at the Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia. By June 2019, she had climbed to number one on the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking, a position she held across 12 total weeks before turning professional in January 2020.
Jeeno Thitikul Career
Early Career (2020–2021)
After turning professional, Thitikul opened her career in Australia and posted a fourth-place finish at the Women’s NSW Open. Following the COVID-19 pause, she returned to competition in July 2020 and claimed her first professional title at the Singha-SAT Thai LPGA Championship, one of five victories that season that also delivered the Thai LPGA Tour Order of Merit.
In 2021, she collected four Ladies European Tour titles, including the Tipsport Czech Ladies Open and the VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open, and earned the Order of Merit, the Rookie of the Year, and the Players’ Player of the Year. She also gained her LPGA Tour card for 2022 by finishing third at qualifying school.
LPGA Tour Breakthrough (2022–2023)
In March 2022, Thitikul won the JTBC Classic in just her fifth LPGA Tour start, carding a final-round 64 to beat Nanna Koerstz Madsen in a playoff and become the youngest winner on tour since Brooke Henderson. She added a second LPGA title at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship in September, then climbed to number two in the world before reaching number one on 31 October 2022. That November, she was named the 2022 LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year.
Although she did not win an individual event in 2023, Thitikul recorded 13 top-10 finishes across 21 starts and captured the Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average. Her average of 69.53 made her the first player in 70 years to win the award without a tournament victory.
CME and Rolex Era (2024–2025)
In 2024, Thitikul teamed with Yin Ruoning to win the Dow Championship, claimed the Aon Risk Reward Challenge and its $1 million prize, and produced a memorable eagle-birdie finish to win the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship by one shot for a $4 million payout. She finished the year atop the LPGA Tour money list.
In 2025, she won the PIF Saudi Ladies International, the Mizuho Americas Open, and the Buick LPGA Shanghai in a five-hole playoff over Minami Katsu. In August, she returned to world number one by surpassing Nelly Korda. Her second CME Group Tour Championship in November delivered her seventh career LPGA title, a second Vare Trophy with a record 68.68 scoring average, and the Rolex LPGA Player of the Year.
Driving Style and Strengths
Thitikul is widely regarded as one of the most consistent ball strikers on tour, pairing a smooth tempo with precise iron play and an unusually calm short game for a player her age. Her strength lies in course management and avoiding big mistakes, which has translated into record-low scoring averages and frequent top-10 finishes.
Notable Events and Milestones
Her 2024 CME Group Tour Championship finish, capped by an eagle on the par-5 17th and a five-foot birdie putt on the 18th, ranks among the most dramatic endings in recent LPGA history. She is also the youngest Order of Merit winner on the Ladies European Tour and the second Thai player, after Ariya Jutanugarn, to win the Vare Trophy.
Jeeno Thitikul Career Wins
Across the LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour, Thai LPGA Tour, and Ladies Asian Tour, Thitikul has collected 20 professional victories. Her résumé includes seven LPGA Tour titles, five Ladies European Tour wins, five Thai LPGA Tour wins, and additional team and invitational triumphs.
LPGA Tour Highlights
Her first LPGA Tour win came at the 2022 JTBC Classic, and her most recent at the 2025 CME Group Tour Championship. She has won three LPGA Tour events in playoff finishes and earned the Rolex LPGA Player of the Year, the Vare Trophy, the money title, and the Rookie of the Year.
Other Wins and Performances
Thitikul’s non-LPGA victories include the 2024 Dow Championship with Yin Ruoning, the 2025 PIF Saudi Ladies International, and the 2023 Simone Asia Pacific Cup by seven strokes. Her Ladies European Tour Order of Merit and Rookie of the Year double in 2021 made her the youngest winner of that title.
Jeeno Thitikul Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Thitikul credits her father, Montree, with introducing her to golf when she was six years old and steering her early practice. Her mother, Siriwan, has remained a steady presence in her upbringing in Ratchaburi.
Personal Life
Thitikul maintains her residence in Ratchaburi, Thailand, and continues to be close with her family. She is well known for her friendship with Chinese LPGA Tour player Yin Ruoning, a bond that began in late 2023 and produced the 2024 Dow Championship team title.
2025 Season Performance
Thitikul opened 2025 by winning the PIF Saudi Ladies International in February and added the Mizuho Americas Open in May. In August, she reclaimed the number one position in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, overtaking Nelly Korda.
Her late-season run included a five-hole playoff win at the Buick LPGA Shanghai over Minami Katsu and a second consecutive CME Group Tour Championship title in November. The CME victory clinched her second Vare Trophy, a record 68.68 scoring average, the LPGA money title, and the Rolex Player of the Year.
Heading into 2026, Thitikul remains the world number one and the central figure of the LPGA Tour, with her combination of consistency, course management, and clutch putting positioning her as a favorite in every major championship she enters.