Jeeno Thitikul wins in Portland as Thai golfers take top 3 spots

Jeeno Thitikul closed with an 8-under-par 64 on Sunday to capture the Standard Portland Classic by one stroke at Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland, Ore.

The World No. 2 finished at 22-under 266, edging fellow Thais Chanettee Wannasaen and Arpichaya Yubol, who shared second at 21 under. Thitikul began the final round two strokes behind Yubol and Sophia Schubert before charging to her third LPGA victory of the season and 10th of her career.

"It's mean a lot. I would say every win it's mean a lot to the sacrifice that we put in, the work that we put in," Thitikul said after the victory. "... (I've) had a time that I have a doubt, like, ‘What is going on in my games?,' and then when you get it you're just like, ‘Wow, this is what you're waiting for.'"

Thitikul wasted little time erasing the deficit. She birdied six of her first seven holes, including five in succession from Nos. 3-7, to surge to the top of the leaderboard.

Her first setback came with a bogey at No. 9, but she responded immediately at the par-5 10th, rolling in a 25-foot eagle putt to regain a one-shot lead.

Another bogey at the par-5 12th briefly slowed Thitikul but a birdie at No. 14 kept her in front. She saved par at the 16th and then curled in a birdie putt at No. 17 to take the lead for good.

She secured the victory with a two-putt par from off the 18th green.

Thitikul took pride in the growing presence of Thai players near the top of LPGA leaderboards, with Wannasaen and Yubol joining her in an all-Thailand top three on Sunday and Pajaree Anannarukarn also tying for fifth.

"Yeah, like we have a lot, a lot of talented players, and then I definitely believe that we can be on the top of the leaderboard," she said. "Not just me, but all the Thai players that we got out here. It just matter of the time, and that I just really want to inspire the next generation of Thai as well."

Wannasaen applied pressure throughout, posting the lowest round of the day by making nine birdies without a bogey for a 63. The 2023 Portland champion pulled even with Thitikul by birdieing the 17th but could not add another at the last.

Wannasaen was disappointed not to have earned the victory, but, like Thitikul, she was encouraged by the performance of her countrywomen.

"I say feel good. Because actually we, you know, like Thai people really close. We like to talk, like to hang out together," Wannasaen said. "I'm really happy when I see them play good. Like, you know, because I know like they went through -- like sometime they feel like burnout, same exactly (as) me, but we keep going, keep going."

Yubol, seeking her first LPGA Tour title, remained in contention after entering Sunday tied for the lead. She made four birdies over her first seven holes and closed with birdies at Nos. 17 and 18 around a lone bogey at the 12th for a 67 and a share of second.

Schubert, the other 54-hole co-leader, managed a 1-under 71 and finished alone in fourth at 17 under.

France's Celine Boutier (66), Anannarukarn (67) and South Korea's Narin An (69) tied for fifth at 16 under, while Rose Zhang (68) shared eighth at 15 under with Suvichaya Vinijchaitham (66).

Thitikul added the Portland title to victories earlier this season at Honda LPGA Thailand and the Mizuho Americas Open.

--Field Level Media