While Lydia Ko gave it a good go, it seemed impossible to imagine anyone other than Nelly Korda winning the LPGA Tour Player of the Year title for 2024 after a season in which the world number one won seven times.
Nelly Korda enjoyed the kind of season which will be looked back upon as a defining moment when she secures her place in the LPGA Hall of Fame. The 26-year-old won her second major title, while she went on a run of six victories in seven starts in the first-half of the year.
And just when it appeared that Lydia Ko may be sparking a debate over whether she could pip her to the Player of the Year title, Korda won at The ANNIKA to emphatically end that discussion.
It was slightly surprising to see Korda rarely look like contending at the CME Group Tour Championship as Angel Yin and Jeeno Thitikul almost engaged in their own tournament on Sunday. Yin’s putting performance will be remembered for a long time. But ultimately, it was Thitikul who got across the line after making an eagle and a birdie on her final two holes.
The LPGA player backed to rival Nelly Korda in 2025
And speaking on Golf Channel, Amy Rogers suggested that the 21-year-old appears to be the player who could give Korda a real run for her money in 2025.
“Well, Paige talks about household names, Jeeno Thitikul isn’t one yet, but she could be very soon, especially after the performance we saw from her this year,” she said.
“Remarkable, she missed the first three months of the season with a thumb injury, didn’t even start her year until the Chevron Championship in April, but wasted no time getting back to work. She racked up 10 top 10 finishes, plus two victories. And we really didn’t have a rival for Nelly Korda this season, someone to go toe to toe with her, to push her down the stretch at several of these events throughout the year. But I think Thitikul could be that person next season, someone for us to keep an eye on.
“She’s led the tour in scoring average the last two seasons. And what I love about Thitikul, every time I speak with her, she has an incredible personality.
“I love that she was open and honest about what she was going to do with this $4 million she could win. She’s like, ‘I’m going shopping’. It was fantastic to see that character and that personality come out, which the LPGA so needs. So I think she could be a fantastic character for the LPGA going forward, and potentially a rival for Nelly Korda as well.”
Where Jeeno Thitikul outshone Korda in 2024
It is going to be incredibly difficult for Korda to replicate what she achieved in 2024 in the new year. She had one of the all-time great seasons, and she showed at the US Women’s Open in particular that she can have rounds which seemingly defy logic.
Thitikul actually outperformed Korda in a number of categories in 2024, including scoring average, strokes gained total and birdie average.
The youngster is yet to take that step and become a major champion. But clearly, the talent is definitely there. And it seems that many are expecting 2025 to be the year where Thitikul really cements herself as a superstar.
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