Jeeno Thitikul fired a final-round 69 to secure a commanding four-shot victory at the LPGA Tour’s Mizuho Americas Open in New Jersey. The Thai star’s triumph marks her ninth career LPGA title and her second win of the season.
Thitikul entered Sunday with a two-shot lead and delivered a steady performance, mixing four birdies with a lone bogey. She finished the week at 13 under par, pulling four strokes clear of China’s Ruoning Yin. Yin, who started four shots back, closed to within one with three holes remaining after five birdies on the front nine, but a bogey on the par-three 16th and a miscue on the back nine left her with a final-round 69 and solo second place.
Thitikul added a birdie on the 18th to extend her winning margin, ending the tournament four clear of Yin. The victory narrows her deficit to world No.1 Nelly Korda in the race for the top spot.
Alison Lee shared third place on eight under with Gaby Lopez and Jenny Bae, while Allisen Corpuz and Jenny Shin were two strokes further back in a tie for seventh. Celine Boutier, who played in the final group with Thitikul, struggled with three bogeys and no birdies on the front nine, eventually finishing tied-ninth after a three-over 75.
Saki Baba recorded her first career ace on the LPGA Tour, holing out from 153 yards with a seven-iron on the par-three seventh.
The LPGA Tour now moves to Ohio for the Kroger Queen City Championship, which begins Thursday at Maketewah Country Club. Charley Hull, an English player who missed the cut this week, returns as the defending champion.
