A bogey at the par-4 7th during Saturday’s third round; a double on the par-4 16th on Sunday’s final round.
That was the only damage Hoakalei Country Club could accrue against Jeeno Thitikul this week across 72 holes.
The first obstacle Thitikul responded to with five birdies on her back nine to carry a three-shot lead after 54 holes in Hawaii. The double bogey that tied her with South Korea’s Ina Yoon was erased with a birdie-birdie and earned her a three-shot victory.
It was fitting that the 23-year-old Thailand native found herself in the winner’s circle of the Lotte Championship after playing more than 97% of the tournament bogey-free.
“I know 16 was terrible,” she told reporters, “but I just tell myself that, “Hey, it’s two hole left. Anyhing can happen. You can definitely bounce back whenever you still have the shot in your hand.”
Despite playing the majority of the week in control, Thitikul’s fourth LPGA Tour win in 2026 didn’t come without a challenge.
Yoon sank back-to-back birdies at the turn to cut the lead to one shot.
That was the distance for most of the back nine before Yoon succumbed to the pressure with a bogey at the par-4 14th to fall two back.
Yoon’s par putt at the 16th kept her at 19 under — the same score Thitikul tallied through 70 holes after dropping two strokes.
Yoon bogeyed again at the next hole and Thitikul birdied to seize a two-shot lead and never gave it back.
“It’s always really good to battle with Ina,” said Thitikul. “She played incredible on the front nine. She always going for the pins and then drop every putts.
Miyu Yamashita, who won CPKC Women’s Open in Canada in August, birdied four times on the back nine to finish solo third on the leaderboard but never threatened Thitikul or Yoon.
American Auston Kim finished solo and was the clubhouse leader at 16 under after posting her second 5-under 67 of the week on Sunday. A costly stretch on the back nine where she bogeyed three consecutive holes cost her from contending later on.
China’s Michelle Zhang, who used a bogey-free back nine to get in at 15 under, finished a career-best T-5 with Sweden’s Maja Stark who birdied the final hole.
One solid resume
The win gives Thitikul 11 career victories, an astonishing number considering she turned pro in 2022.
She now sits fourth time on the all-time LPGA money list and joins contemporaries Lexi Thompson and Minjee Lee at T-49 on the list of golfers with most wins on Tour.
When and if she notches career win No. 12, Thitikul will tie two-time major champ and fellow countrywoman Ariya Jutanugarn.
Thitikul will travel back home for a week of rest before going to China to defend her Buick LPGA Shanghai title, one of three events won in 2025.
“It’s incredible what Thai golfers have brought us, the next generation,” said Thitikul when asked about moving within one win of Jutanugarn’s career mark.
“Every minute, every hour that we put in now — we put in for or result to be better, but another reason is we put in because we want the next generation to see how we perform and play and they also can get inspired,” she added.