NAPLES, Fla. – Jeeno Thitikul has a chance to leave Naples, Florida, this week with $5 million. She’s already wrapped up $1 million as the Aon Risk Reward Challenge winner and currently co-leads the CME Group Tour Championship after a dazzling 9-under 63.
Thitikul and overnight leader Angel Yin top the board at 15 under at Tiburon Golf Club, with an historic $4 million winner’s check on the line.
When asked for her thoughts on the potential of winning $5 million in one week, Thitikul laughed and said that $1 million is good enough for her before noting her love of spending money. Just yesterday she did some early Black Friday shopping.
“It’s a lot of thing I buy,” she said, laughing. “Just silly things, important things. I don’t know. Actually, that’s nice that I’m here because my parents won’t know what I’m spending.
“But don’t tell my parents that.”
Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand speaks with the Golf Central cast during a interview on Golf Channel after winning the 2024 Aon Risk Reward Challenge ahead of the 2024 CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Thitikul spent Saturday afternoon alongside close friend Ruoning Yin, who shot 66 and holds solo third at 12 under. Yin said they mostly talk about food inside the ropes, noting that Thitikul sometimes comes over for lunch after practice when the Dallas residents are both in town.
“She’s crushing it,” said Yin of her friend.
The pair teamed up to win the Dow Championship earlier this year, and then Yin clipped Thitikul by a stroke at the Maybank Championship. Thitikul, who suffered a thumb injury earlier this year, hasn’t finished outside the top eight in her last six starts.
“Whatever is going to happen tomorrow,” said Thitikul, “I take it as a learning experience. It’s not about life or death.”
Yin has given credit all week to caddie Michelle Simpson for her success on the greens. The pair started working together for the first time on Monday.
“I’ve always had a really tough time reading greens here,” said Yin, “even though I’ve been living in Florida since 2018.
“It’s just really rough for me because I grew up in California and it’s Poa and Bent and all that stuff. So these greens are always rough, and with her help I’ve been able to get a few lines in.”
Yin’s season also got off to a slow start after she broke her left ankle in Austria during the offseason. The 26-year-old American won the 2023 Aon Risk Reward Challenge and said the seven-figure check gave her freedom.
Charley Hull of England plays her shot from the seventh tee during the third round of the CME Group Tour Championship 2024 at Tiburon Golf Club on November 23, 2024 in Naples, Florida. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Hull, who recently won on the Ladies European Tour in Saudi Arabia, loves being a chaser. She finished second last week to Nelly Korda at The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican and hasn’t finished outside the top 20 on tour since July.
Hull won her first LPGA title at the 2016 CME and claimed a $500,000 paycheck. When asked if the $4 million would be on her mind Sunday, she said not one bit.
“I don’t play golf for the money; I play golf for the trophies,” said Hull. “I just want to go out there and win no matter what the paycheck is. Obviously grateful for it being $4 million.”