Jeeno Thitikul Continues Fine Run Of Form After PIF Saudi Ladies International Win

Jeeno Thitikul held off the challenge of Somi Lee to win the PIF Saudi Ladies International by four at Riyadh Golf Club.

The Thai star found herself two behind South Korean Lee after the first round, who led by one over Esther Henseleit. However, by the end of the second round of the 54-hole contest, Thitikul had taken command of proceedings, leading by three over Lee and Annabell Fuller heading into Saturday’s decider following an eight-under 64.

That made her the strong favorite to claim her 17^th professional win just five days before her 22^nd birthday, and she never looked like relinquishing her vice-like grip on matters, despite not quite reaching the heights of Friday.

Thitikul started where she left off on Friday, with a birdie at the par-4 first to set the tone for the day. By the turn, she was still bogey-free and three-under for the day after further birdies on the fourth and seventh.

By that point, Fuller was all but out of the running after she found herself three-over for the day by the 10^th, and although she rallied on the back nine with five birdies and a bogey, she ultimately had to settle for third.

Lee was faring better than the Englishwoman in pursuit of Thitikul, but she still found herself five adrift at the turn, and despite successive birdies at the 11^th and 12^th, never really looked like putting enough pressure on the leader.

Thitikul could even afford a couple of blips over the closing nine, with bogeys at the 11^th and 14^th. However, further birdies on the 10^th and 12^th ensured she finished with a 69, just one short of the best round of the day carded by Charley Hull, who finished T8.

Despite missing out on an individual first prize of $675,000, instead settling for $405,500, there was another considerable consolation for Lee following the second round. That’s because her team, which included Minsun Kim, Nastasia Nadaud and Amy Taylor, won the 36-hole team competition, leaving the four to share an additional $140,000.

As for Thitikul, her win continued a tremendous run of form that has included top-10 finishes in each of her last eight starts, beginning with a T4 in the FM Championship at the start of September.

It is also her second successive win after she claimed the title at the LPGA Tour’s season-closing CME Group Tour Championship in November.

Thitikul became the second-youngest World No.1 at the age of 19 in October 2022, and is now in a similar run of form that helped her reach the summit back then. Perhaps the one big omission from her resume remains a Major title. However, given the form she’s in, and the way she eased to victory in Saudi Arabia, there will be increased expectation that 2025 could be the year she claims a title in at least one of the big five tournaments.