On Monday, 19-year-old Atthaya Thitikul became the new World No. 1 in women’s golf, passing Korea’s Jin Young Ko, who held the top spot for the last 38 weeks.
Thitikul, a LPGA rookie from Thailand, is only the second player from her country to achieve the feat, after Ariya Jutanugarn did it in 2017, and Thitikul is the 16th player overall to hold the top spot in the world ranking since it began with Annika Sorenstam in 2006.
Here are five other things to know about about one of golf’s brightest superstars.
She’s been ranked No. 1 before
Thitikul had a stellar amateur career, ascending to the top of the women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking in 2019.
Jin Young Ko WDs in South Korea, opens door for new LPGA No. 1
She’s having an ultra-hot season
Not only does Thitikul have two LPGA wins on her resume this year (the JTBC Classic and the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship), she also has a whopping 12 additional top-10 finishes, including three at major championships.
She’s the youngest player ever to win a professional golf tournament
In 2017, Thitikul won the Ladies European Tour’s Thailand Championship at the age of 14, making her the youngest player ever to achieve such a feat.
She won two professional tournaments as an amateur
Prior to turning professional in 2020, Thitikul added another win at the Thailand Championship to her LET resume in 2019, giving her two victories in the tournament as an amateur. After turning pro, she also won the LET’s 2021 Tipsport Czech Ladies Open and 2021 VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open.
She uses a nickname
Thitikul goes by the nickname “Jeen” or “Jeeno,” and even uses it in her Instagram handle: @jeeno.atthaya.
