Chon Buri: There was a discernible spring in the step of Jeeno Thitikul as she waltzed into the media centre for a pre-tournament press conference ahead of the Honda LPGA Thailand 2025.
Jeeno, who celebrates her 22nd birthday on Thursday, has returned to her home country in high spirits after an emphatic victory at the Saudi Ladies International on Sunday in Riyadh.
With the 17th win of her already remarkable professional career, Jeeno has risen to No.2 in the Women's World Golf Rankings.
As she spearheads a 12-strong Thai challenge in the third leg of the 2025 LPGA Tour schedule at the Siam Country Club, Jeeno has two clear goals in her sights.
First is to become just the third Thai player after Ariya Jutanugarn and Patty Tavatanakit to get her hands on the Honda LPGA Thailand trophy. Second is to regain the world No.1 ranking she briefly held in 2022.
There are compelling reasons to believe that Jeeno can achieve the first part of that quest this week in the limited field of 72 players who will compete over 72 holes in a no-cut event for a total purse of US$1.7 million (approximately 60 million baht).
Last year, Patty triumphed in the Ladies European Tour's Saudi showpiece and followed up by winning the Honda LPGA Thailand the very next week, setting a precedent that Jeeno would dearly love to follow.
"I definitely want to win. I want to show and give 100% when I'm out there on the course," said Jeeno. "But to be honest, I can't control the result. I just focus on what I can control. Everyone wants to win, and we just try our best. If it doesn't turn out to be good, we accept it and move on. Hopefully it'll turn out to be good."
Jeeno's recent record at Siam Country Club's revered Old Course is impressive. Runner-up at the Honda LPGA Thailand in 2021, she tied for eighth in 2022 and was third in 2023.
Having been forced to withdraw last year due to a wrist injury, to say that Jeeno is relishing this week's contest -- and the prospect of joining the tournament's elite list of winners -- is an under-statement.
Even more so following the draw for Thursday's first round which has paired Jeeno alongside Patty and China's Yin Ruoning, her closest friend on Tour. The blockbuster trio will head off from the first tee at 9.57am.
Jeeno said: "It's always nice to be back on home soil. This week I have my family here. All the fans here like cheering for us. I'm so sad I missed it last year. Hopefully everybody is waiting for us to make a show out there this year."
On current form, there are few who can match Jeeno. In all of her last eight starts in professional golf, she's finished in the top 10 -- a streak that started at the 2024 FM Championship where she placed fourth and has seen her triumph in her two most recent outings, the 2024 season-ending Tour Championship on the LPGA Tour and last week in Saudi.
While she may still have some ground to make up if she's to usurp Nelly Korda at the summit of the world rankings, the sobering news for Jeeno's rivals is that she's of the opinion that there's considerable room for improvement in her game.
"My ball-striking is not that good at the moment. That's what I want to work on and is what I'm focusing on this week. I don't know what's going to happen, but I know that I'll do my best," she said.
Meanwhile, this week's event signals the start of the LPGA Tour's three-week swing through Asia and features six past champions -- Patty, Ariya, Lilia Vu, Nanna Koerstz Madsen, Anna Nordqvist and three-time winner Amy Yang -- and 14 of the top 25 in the world rankings.
Also gracing the manicured fairways of the Old Course are Kim A-Lim and Yealimi Noh, the first two winners of the 2025 LPGA Tour season, along with last year's Evian Championship winner Ayaka Furue, 15-time LPGA Tour champion Ko Jin-Young and 2023 Rookie of the Year Ryu Hae-Ran.
As well as Jeeno, Patty and Ariya, five other Thais gained exemptions this week having finished 2024 within the top 80 in the Race to the CME Globe point standings -- Pajaree Anannrukarn, Moriya Jutanugarn, Jasmine Suwannapura, Chanettee Wannasaen and Arpichaya Yubol.
Four other Thais have received sponsor invitations including Wichanee Meechai, Jaravee Boonchant, Trichat Cheenglab and rising star Pimpisa Rubrong, winner of the qualifying tournament. Wichanee is making her first worldwide start of the year. She finished her 2024 LPGA Tour season with a strong performance at The ANNIKA, finishing solo seventh to record her third top 10 of the season.