The world number one-ranked female golfer, affectionately known as “Jeeno”, was included in the “Phenoms” category by TIME magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of the year, it was announced on Oct 1.
The TIME 100 Next list was first launched six years ago and is designed to highlight the world’s most influential rising stars in all industries.
A native of Ratchaburi, 22-year-old Jeeno burst onto the scene when she became the youngest golfer ever to win a professional golf tournament at age 14 years, 4 months and 19 days after winning the Ladies European Thailand Championship as an amateur in July 2017.
She was the number one ranked women’s amateur golfer in the world for a total of 12 weeks, rising to the top on two occasions, the first time in June 2019.
Maiden win
Jeeno’s maiden win on the LPGA Tour came at the JTBC Classic in Carlsbad, California in March, 2022. Later that year, while still only aged 19, she earned two further wins on the professional LPGA Tour and four wins on the Ladies European Tour.
This success saw her rise to become the number one-ranked golfer in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings in Oct 2022, while also being named the 2022 LPGA Tour Louise Suggs Rookie of the Year. The following year saw her win the 2023 Vare Trophy for the LPGA tour’s lowest scoring average throughout the entire season.
In November last year Jeeno won the CME Group Tour Championship in Florida, the season-ending event of the LPGA Tour, earning a prize of US$4 million (B131mn) in the process, the largest paycheck in the history of women’s golf. This took her overall winnings for 2024 on the LPGA tour to $6,059,309, eclipsing the previous record of $4,364,994 set by Lorena Ochoa during the 2007 season. This achievement also saw Jeeno lead the 2024 LPGA money list overall.
Continuing her fine form this year, in February Jeeno won the PIF Saudi Ladies International in Saudi Arabia as part of the 2025 Ladies European Tour, the Mizuho Americas Open in the United States in May on the LPGA tour, and almost won her first major at the Amandie Evian Championship in France, losing in a playoff to Grace Kim. This run of form saw Jeeno overtake Nelly Korda to return to the number one position of the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings in August.
Most recently Jeeno won the Buick LPGA Shanghai title last Sunday (Oct 12), becoming the first player to win multiple times on the LPGA Tour in 2025 in the process.
‘Consistent’
Speaking in the TIME article, former world number one Lydia Ko showered extensive praise to her close friend’s achievements and ability. New Zealander Ko, who was included in TIME’s Top 100 Most Influential People on her 17th birthday back in 2014, said: “Jeeno is an impressive young golfer in every respect who inspires me and many others to continually improve.
“Most professional golfers are really good at one thing. For some, it’s their long game or iron shot, for others, it’s putting or chipping. But for Jeeno Thitikul, it’s everything. She’s really good at all parts of the game, all throughout the bag,” added Ko.
“She’s so consistent that even on her off days, she’s not that far off at all. She has a strong mental game too, and always plays with a very calm, cool, and collected demeanor. Since we’ve both been on tour with the LPGA, I’ve gotten to know Jeeno better, and I see how hard she works. It feels like only a matter of time until she wins a major title.
“As a teen phenom turned top-ranked golfer, Jeeno is incredibly impressive all around. She motivates me to be a better player, and I feel lucky to be able to play alongside her.”
Jeeno’s record of being the youngest ever female winner on the professional tour was beaten by local golfing sensation Louise Landgraf in April 2023 when she triumphed at the Terre Blanche Ladies Open, part of the Ladies European Tour Access Series, at the age of 14 years, 2 months and 18 days.