Jeeno Thitikul captured the one title that mattered most. Her emotional victory at the Honda LPGA Thailand was made even more special thanks to the one person in the crowd.

The World No. 1 golfer finally delivered on home turf on Sunday, Feb 22, 2026. She closed with a 4 under 68 to finish at 24 under par at the Siam Country Club Old Course in Pattaya, beating Japan’s Chizzy Iwai by one shot. It was her eighth LPGA Tour title. But it was the first one that made her cry.

Her mother, who rarely travels to watch her play during the season, was there in the crowd this time. When Thitikul walked off the 18th green, she immediately shared an emotional hug with her mother.

"My mom came up to me after I finished 18 and she cried a lot," Thitikul said at the victor's podium on Feb 22, 2026, according to Sky Sports.

"I told her, 'I finally won in front of you.' She was emotional, and that made me emotional too."

"My mom wouldn't come for the whole year. This is the only event she's going to come out and watch me play," Thitikul said earlier in the week.

Jeeno Thitikul Says Home Win Means More Than Majors

While the scoreboard confirmed the victory, the meaning behind it was far more significant.

After her win on Feb 22, 2026, she spoke to the media, and according to the Associated Press, the 23-year-old was honest about how much this title meant to her compared to all the others she has won.

"I would rate it A triple-plus," she said. "I know it's not as big as the majors, but winning in my home country means so much to me sometimes even more than a major."

That’s a powerful thing to say from someone who had already won seven LPGA titles and was ranked No. 1 in the world. Her history at the tournament puts her emotional reaction into perspective.

She had tried to win this tournament nine times. Her mother only makes that one special trip each year to watch her play. And the home crowd? She said it felt “bigger, bigger” every time she came back.

Thitikul also became only the third Thai player to win this event, after Patty Tavatanakit in 2024 and Ariya Jutanugarn in 2021, two players she knows well.

Did this moment touch you, too? Share your thoughts below.

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Written by

Sneha Abraham

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi