Thitikul finishes eagle-birdie to claim CME Group Tour Championship and win record $4M prize

Down by two with two holes to play, Jeeno Thitikul knew exactly what was needed to capture the biggest prize in women's golf history.

And another eagle-birdie finish — for the second straight day — made it happen.

Thitikul won the record-setting $4 million first-place check by capturing the CME Group Tour Championship on Sunday. It's the biggest money prize in women’s golf history, bigger than even the winner’s shares in three of the four men’s major championships this year.

Thitikul shot a 7-under 65 on Sunday and finished the week at 22 under, one shot ahead of Angel Yin (66). Yin had a two-shot lead walking to the 17th tee, only to wind up settling for the $1 million runner-up check.

The win and the massive check came down to the 18th hole, Thitikul and Yin tied at 21 under after a back-and-forth day atop the leaderboard — both knowing a mistake would likely come with a $3 million cost.

Thitkul had a two-shot lead after three holes; Yin had a two-shot lead with two holes left. Neither was safe; Yin birdied and Thitikul bogeyed the par-4 fourth for a tie at 16 under, and Thitikul eagled the par-5 17th to pull into a tie with Yin at 21 under.

They both hit the fairway on 18. Thitikul's approach was nearly perfect, stopping about 5 feet from the cup. Yin's response stopped maybe 15 feet away, giving Thitkul the edge as they walked up the fairway.

Yin's birdie putt just missed. Thitikul's was dead center. And history was hers.

She already had clinched a $1 million bonus this week through the Aon Risk-Reward Challenge, a competition based on how players score on a designated hole each week. In the end, it wound up as a whopping $5 million week for the 21-year-old from Thailand — and going 8 under over the four days on the Nos. 17 and 18 at Tiburon Golf Club made it happen.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Ruoning Yin tees off on the eighth hole during the final round of the LPGA CME Group Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Naples, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris Tilley)

Nelly Korda tees of on the seventh hole during the final round of the LPGA CME Group Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Naples, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris Tilley)

Lexi Thompson, right, gives autographs after her final round of play during the final round of the LPGA CME Group Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Naples, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris Tilley)

Mao Saigo hits from the sand on the sixth hole during the first round of the LPGA CME Group Tour Championship golf tournament Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Naples, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris Tilley)

Jeeno Thitikul tees off on the eighth hole during the final round of the LPGA CME Group Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Naples, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris Tilley)

Angel Yin, right, looks down the fairway on the ninth hole during the final round of the LPGA CME Group Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Naples, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris Tilley)

Brooke Henderson tees of on the eighth hole during the final round of the LPGA CME Group Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Naples, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris Tilley)

Angel Yin tees off on the ninth hole during the final round of the LPGA CME Group Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Naples, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris Tilley)

Angel Yin hits from the sand on the sixth hole during the final round of the LPGA CME Group Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Naples, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris Tilley)

Jeeno Thitikul tees off on the ninth hole during the final round of the LPGA CME Group Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Naples, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris Tilley)

Kylian Mbappé scored and Real Madrid moved within four points of Spanish league leader Barcelona with a 3-0 win at Leganes on Sunday ahead of its eagerly awaited Champions League match at Liverpool.

Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham also scored to close the gap on Barcelona, which conceded two late goals in a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo on Saturday.

Madrid has played one game less than Barcelona after its match at Valencia was postponed because of the deadly floods in October.

Madrid will make the trip to England to face Premier League leader Liverpool on Wednesday in the Champions League, and is hoping to recover from a demoralizing 3-1 home loss against AC Milan in the previous round of matches.

Madrid's attack worked well against Leganes with Vinícius Júnior playing inside and Mbappé more on the flank. The France striker scored after going four straight games without finding the net for the Spanish powerhouse.

“We switched their positions and the team was able to stay in control during the whole match,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said.

Fourth-place Villarreal scored an equalizer in stoppage time to salvage a 2-2 draw at fifth-place Osasuna.

Ante Budimir scored twice in the first 20 minutes for Osasuna. Villarreal, which was coming off three straight victories in all competitions, scored through Álex Baena in the 67th and a penalty kick converted by Gerard Moreno three minutes into injury time.

Osasuna, sitting three points behind Villarreal, was coming off a 4-0 loss at Madrid.

Also Sunday, Sevilla ended a two-game losing streak in the league with a 1-0 win against Rayo Vallecano, which played the entire second half with 10 men after Unai López was sent off for a hard foul.

Djibril Sow scored Sevilla's goal in the 27th.

Sixth-place Athletic Bilbao hosted midtable Real Sociedad later Sunday in the Basque Country derby.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior gestures at Leganes' Sergio Gonzalez, foreground, during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Real Madrid's Federico Valverde celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Real Madrid players celebrate after Federico Valverde, 3rd right, scored their second goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Real Madrid's Eduardo Camavinga, left, jumps for the ball with Leganes' Julian Chicco during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe attempts a shot at goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe avoids Leganes' Adria Altimira to score the opening goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe scores a goal disallowed for offside during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between CD Leganes and Real Madrid in Leganes, outside Madrid, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)