Jeeno Thitikul finished a successful defence of her title at the Mizuho Americas Open, carding a final-round three-under-par 69 to win by four strokes in West Caldwell, New Jersey.
Thitikul, who topped the leaderboard for the final three days, won the tournament in back-to-back years on different courses. She won by four shots last May at Liberty National Golf Club in nearby Jersey City before repeating the feat this year at Mountain Ridge Country Club.
The world No 2 captured her second victory of 2026 after winning in hernative Thailand in February. It marks her ninth win on the LPGA Tour and draws her closer to Nelly Korda, who regained the No 1 ranking from Thitikul lastmonth and took this week off following consecutive wins.
"I think for me, world ranking or top players doesn't really define what I'm doing," Thitikul said after earning the $487,500 championship cheque.
"I'm just trying to just do my best out there, trying to be as consistent as I can, because I know it's going to be a really tough competition in and out every week, on and off every week, and different courses."
Thitikul shot a 13-under 275 for the week, with China's Ruoning Yin (69 onSunday) alone in second at nine under par. Yin gave chase with five birdies onthe front nine, including four straight at Nos 5 to 8, before she made two bogeys with zero birdies on the back.
Thitikul made birdies at the second and third before a string of nine pars was interruptedby a bogey at the par-five 13th. She still held a narrow lead before cementing itwith birdies at the par-three 16th and par-four 18th.
Tied for third at eight-under were Jenny Bae (bogey-free 66), Alison Lee (69), Mexico's Gaby Lopez (69) and South Korea's Hye-Jin Choi (71).
