Former World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul will receive an additional $1 million for finishing atop the Aon Risk Reward Challenge rankings.
To go for it or to not go for it—a question every golfer faces during every round they play.
Golf involves plenty of risk, whether it be water, sand, or severely undulating greens. But conquering those risks brings great rewards, usually in the form of a lower score, which ultimately translates into wins.
Hence, the LPGA and Aon established the Aon Risk Reward Challenge in 2019. At the time, the $1 million reward was the largest single monetary prize on tour, a significant point of pride for Aon, who has continued to support this year-long challenge ever since.
The challenge is quite unique. Every week, the LPGA determines the most strategically challenging hole that could make or break a player’s round. It could also be a scorable par-5, which was the case last week at The ANNIKA. LPGA officials selected the par-5 14th as the Aon Risk Reward Challenge hole at The Pelican.
Players will then take their two best scores from the given hole during a tournament, with the winner having the best average score relative to par at the end of the regular season.
This year’s winner, Jeeno Thitikul, finished the season with an average of 0.9 strokes under par to sit atop the standings. Thitikul put together another marvelous season in 2024, two years after she took home the LPGA Rookie of the Year Award. She also ascended to become the top-ranked player in the world that year as well. This year, she posted 11 top-10s, which includes an ongoing streak of six in a row. Thitikul and Ruoning Yin also teamed up to win the Dow Championship in June. Ironically, Yin finished second in the Aon Risk Reward Challenge rankings, posting an average score of 0.824 strokes under par. Current World No. 1 Nelly Korda came in third at 0.821.
Thitikul spent plenty of time with Korda this season, as the LPGA frequently paired them together. They also found themselves in contention quite often, meaning they played plenty of weekend rounds together, too. Because of this, Thitikul learned a lot from Korda and applied some of her skills to her own game, which clearly paid off.
“She’s so brave, she can hit all the shots,” Thitikul said to SB Nation.
“I’m not really scared of or afraid to make a mistake, which is really nice that I have that. But I have learned that from her and then adopted that to my game as well.”
But Thitikul’s performance is even more impressive when considering an injury sidelined her for three months earlier this year. Before the LPGA season kicked off in January, Thitikul hurt her thumb during an offseason practice session. She could not hit a golf ball until early April, which explains why she made her season debut at the Chevron Championship, where she finished solo 12th.
“I had many doubts about myself after I started the season injured,” Thitikul added.
“I was wondering, you know, if I would be able to play my same golf again or not. But after that, I had a really good year. I am just thankful that my injury happened at the beginning of the year. It changed my mind about how I played golf, how I see golf, and how I think out there on the course.”
One might say that her injury was a blessing in disguise. It helped change her approach to playing the game, which she now does without fear or hesitation, and it turned into a million-dollar prize.
Thitikul now arrives in Naples, Florida, ranked seventh in the Race to CME Globe rankings. She will not win the season-long race—Korda will—but she still put forth a valiant effort this year.
After this week, Thitikul plans to dedicate much of her upcoming off-season to chipping and pitching, hoping to expand her repertoire around the greens. That, coupled with her aggressive mindset, could lead to a major championship win in 2025, which would be a “dream” for the 21-year-old Thai. She certainly has the talent to do so. She has also proven herself as a risk-taker, which explains why she had such a successful 2024 that ended with a substantial bonus. Only those who take great risks reap great rewards.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
