Thitikul’s win was one for the ages, marked with biggest payout yet

With their trophies at Tiburon (from left) Mao Saigo of Japan with the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Award, Thitikul with the CME Group Tour Championship 2024 Trophy and Ayaka Furue of Japan with the Glenna Collett Vare Trophy. Thompson idding the tour goodbye in Florida. — AFP

THE CME Group Tour Championship brought the curtain down on the 2024 women’s season, but not before the circuit weighed in with one last hurrah.

The most lucrative tournament in women’s golf yet, with a prize purse of US11mil – of which US$4mil went to the winner Jeeno Thitikul – the LPGA’s season-ending CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburón Golf Club in Florida saw the Thai star engage in an absorbing final round matchplay-like tussle for the title with American Angel Yin.