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When they tee off Sunday morning at Qizhong Garden, there’s always the possibility for a quiet day: someone runs away, the air stabilizes, the leaderboard locks down. But this was never that kind of event. In the final 18 holes, the Garden unleashed storms, roared with galleries, and etched its latest legend in real time.
Jeeno Thitikul didn’t win this tournament so much as she chased it, dragged it across the finish, and left Shanghai with more than a trophy — she left with a statement.
Dawn, Pressure, and the Calm Before the Roar
Sunday broke humid and gray, a contrast to the previous days of intense sun. The fairways were soft, the rough lush, but the greens — predictably — played slick and unyielding. The organizers had managed aggressive pin placements, subtle back-to-front tiers, and a few that dared you to misjudge speed by a half-step.
Minami Katsu teed off with a two-stroke lead over Jeeno and the chase pack. Behind her, the gallery stretched from tee to green, everyone hoping the script would hold: leader holds, crown passed quietly. But golf doesn’t respect scripts — it writes its own.
By hole 5, Katsu had maintained the lead with a confident birdie. Jeeno traded pars. The rest of the field buzzed, accumulating birdies and trying to stay within range. But you could feel gravity pulling toward the back nine.
The Back Nine: Pulses, Turns, and the Long Climb
Katsu’s game looked solid, but you sensed what she already feared: a wrong look, a missed break, a moment where the Garden would bite. She birdied 12 and 14. She parred when she needed to. She didn’t make mistakes. But she also didn’t seize separation. When you’re leading into this kind of finish, that’s how legends slip.
Jeeno, meanwhile, tended her round like a gardener tending roses. Quiet, deliberate, growing. Her birdie on 14 was subtle but necessary. She followed with another on 15. She was inching closer. When she struck her second shot on 17, even the crowd whispered.
That moment is now post-tour highlight reel: Jeeno’s approach came in at the right angle, skipping once, checking three paces from the cup. Cue the roar. The pin was tucked back right; she had earned it. She made eagle. The roar swelled. She tied. She matched Katsu’s birdie at 18. The script blew up. The five-hole playoff was on.
Five Holes That Echo Forever
Postcards from playoffs: tension in the air, every breath longer, every caddie lean a conversation. They alternated between 18 and 10 — holes that swing, breathe, threaten.
Through the first four extra holes, they traded pars, refusing to crack. Twice, Katsu stood over a chance to end it — twice she left it short or in the collar. That’s how unforgiving Qizhong can be when it smells blood.
On the fifth playoff hole — 18 again — Jeeno’s tee shot found the fairway. Then she hit a precise second that stopped three feet from the pin. Katsu’s reply prodded a bit too meek; she left herself ~8 feet uphill. The collection looked on in absolute silence. Jeeno knocked in the birdie. Game over.
The final scorecard: 63 in regulation to join at –24, then birdie in five extra holes. Jeeno emerged the champion. Katsu, crushed but regal. Two players forever bound by what might have been and what was.
Deep Breath: More Than Just Numbers
This victory is layered. Jeeno’s bounce-back from her meltdown in Cincinnati earlier this month is now sealed. She is no longer just a precision machine — she is a fighter. A comeback artist in real time.
Katsu’s week is equally remarkable. She pushed the edges of possibility — an 11-under 61 in Round 2, a record pace, near misses on Sunday — and she reminded everyone that chasing is the other half of greatness. She didn’t cede meekly; she matched, she challenged, she nearly held.
Minjee Lee stayed clean, made pars when needed, birdied when possible, and grabbed solo third at –19. Miyu Yamashita and Somi Lee tied for fourth at –17 with sturdy rounds of 67, never far from flashes of brilliance. Jenny Bae held strong despite the slip on 18 in regulation, finishing in the top ten. Lindy Duncan joined that group, her fight for stability and soundness proving it pays.
And the crowds? Full. Electric. They whispered, they held their breath, they exploded at 17, they remained — even when the afternoon heat starts to stagger your legs. They made Shanghai not just a tournament, but a spectacle.
The greens played hot: slick, erratic in dead heat. Approach shots had to land precisely—three paces too far and you were off speed. The terror of misreads made every putt feel like a decision, not a stroke.
Top 10 Leaderboard — 2025 Buick LPGA Shanghai (Final)
| Place | Player | Score (4 rounds) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeeno (Atthaya) Thitikul | −24 (65–70–66–63 + playoff) |
| 2 | Minami Katsu | −24 (70–61–68–65) |
| 3 | Minjee Lee | −19 |
| T4 | Miyu Yamashita | −17 |
| T4 | Somi Lee | −17 |
| T4 | Jenny Bae | −17 |
| T7 | Ying Xu (amateur) | −16 |
| T7 | Jenny Shin | −16 |
| T7 | Lindy Duncan | −16 |
| 10 | A Lim Kim | −15 |
(Other players made strong moves, but these were the names the final hour chased.)
What’s Next: The LPGA’s Next Frontier — BMW Ladies Championship in Korea
No rest for the parsed and the hungry. The LPGA swings next to Haenam, South Korea for the BMW Ladies Championship, October 16–19, at Pine Beach Golf Links.
This is a seaside layout—wind, coastal air, shifting turf—far different from Shanghai’s humid glassy greens but equally demanding in its own way.
The field is smaller, the stakes fresh. The purse bumps slightly (reports suggest ~$2.3 million with ~$345,000 to the winner). Host region eyes are wide: Haenam County, the local governments, and tourism boards have poured resources into staging a global showcase. The region expects tens of thousands of spectators, shuttle systems, and fan experiences tied to the tournament. The branding and atmosphere will carry weight.
The forecast leans moody: Thursday offers showers morning then clearing, Friday and Saturday bring wind and possible squalls, Sunday likely stays drier but calls for tension. The breeze along the coast will be the variable every golfer watches. Ball-flight control, spin, and risk management will dominate the week’s storylines.
To watch:
- Will Jeeno ride the wave? Her confidence, momentum, mental toughness—she’s coming into Korea with something to prove beyond Shanghai.
- Can Katsu rebound? Her driving, approach game, and nerves will be tested on a completely different stage.
- Will the Korean talents strike? Home fans, wind savvy, and familiarity—these can propel stars into contention fast.
- Who adjusts best? The players who shift gears — from soft greens to firm coastal lies — may be the surprises.
If Shanghai was drama, redemption, heartbreak, glory, and crowning—Haenam might be confirmation, disruption, or another twist. But in pro golf, the only guarantee is tension. And next week, we’ll all get it again.
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