CARLSBAD, CA - MARCH 27: Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand holds the winners trophy after her -16 playoff win over Nana Koerstz Madsen of Denmark during the final round of the JTBC Classic presented by Barbasol at Aviara Golf Club on March 27, 2022 in Carlsbad, California. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

Stephanie Meadow is looking forward to the tour’s final visit to Mission Hills for this week’s Chevron Championship after clinching her first top 10 since the Olympics in the JTBC Classic in California.

Armed with a new putting style, the Jordanstown star closed with a two-under 70 to tie for 10th on 10-under par, six shots outside a playoff that saw Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul beat Denmark’s Nanna Koertz Madsen at the second tie hole.

Scores

As Leona Maguire signed off with a two-over 74 featuring two double-bogey sevens, four birdies and two bogeys to share 42nd in four-under, Meadow made four birdies and two bogeys and is now looking forward to the first major of the season.

“I finally got some putts to roll in this week,” said Meadow, who was tied 19th at Mission Hills last year. “Even though the greens are a little bumpy I made some go in. Yeah, just excited heading into next week. Game is heading in the right direction. Yeah, it's been great.”

As for her putting, Meadow is feeling confident after making a big change and moving up 52 places to 58th in the Race to CME Globe standings as Maguire fell four spots to seventh.

“I started putting with a line on my ball, so that's a pretty big thing for me,” she said. “It's allowed me to kind of commit to my lines a lot better. For next week, I've played that golf course a million times it feels like, even in college; I know it pretty well. Just keep doing the same things. It's a major week, but it's still the same.”

With her confidence on the rise, she added: “Yeah, I mean it's huge. It's nice to see some putts roll in. It's been a very long time since I had a good putting week, so really happy with that. You know, I had a lot of chances on the back. Just didn't convert, and then two bad shots and then I had a bogey. So it's like it is what it is. Happy to not kind of compound any mistakes and keep fighting.”

This will be the final edition of the Chevron Championship at Mission Hills and Meadow is nostalgic.

“Oh, I mean, it's crazy,” she said. “Obviously there is so much tradition there and it's been going on -- just walking down the 18th, seeing all the names and the pond, I mean, it's a fabulous experience, so I'm definitely going to take in every last second of it. I'm sure Chevron will figure out a way to continue traditions and make it just as special.”

The LPGA Tour reports:

The final round at the JTBC Classic presented by Barbasol was one for the books. LPGA Tour rookie Atthaya Thitikul entered Sunday six shots back of leader Nanna Koerstz Madsen and fired the round of the week – an 8-under, 64 with just 24 putts – to post at 16-under and hold the clubhouse lead with four groups left to play. Koerstz Madsen came to the 18th with a one-shot lead, needing a par to earn her second title in as many starts, but a three-putt dashed those hopes, sending her back to the tee to duke it out with the Thai.

A wayward drive on the second playoff hole led to a second shot in the water for the Dane, opening the door for Thitikul to become a Rolex First-Time winner in her fifth start as a Member. Atthaya is no stranger to success – she won the 2021 Race to Costa del Sol, Rookie of the Year, Player of the Year on the Ladies European Tour – but was still feeling nervy in the playoff with so much on the line.

“I would say it's a lot of things going through my head, but one thing that I really wanted to focus on is just do your best every single shot,” said the 2022 JTBC Classic champion. “If you lose, if you win, this is another chance to learn. So do your best every single shot. Everyone comes here they want to win. I want to win as well but didn't expect that it was going to come really fast. It's crazy in my mind right now. I cannot believe that I became an LPGA winner. It feels amazing.”

Fourth in the CME Globe

With the win, Thitikul moves to fourth in the Race to the CME Globe with 734.75 points and becomes the sixth player from Thailand to win on the LPGA Tour. Her friend and fellow Thai winner Pajaree Anannarukarn stuck around to see the win just as Atthaya did for her when Anannarukarn won last year’s ISPS Handa World Invitational and their relationship means a lot to the young rookie, as does the support of her team, her family and her friends, making this victory even more special.

“I was there when she got her first win in Ireland, and she was here when I got my first win as well so it's really special that I have her here because we are pretty close to each other,” said Thitikul. “It means the world to me, to our team as well. I know my parents are watching back at home. They supporting me since day one, and then my manager is here, my coach, caddie. I know that they're trying to find something the best for me every single tournament, every single day to make me better. My friends and my fans back in Thailand and here as well that support me, it means a lot to us.”

After an unfortunate second shot into the water on the second playoff hole with her feet on the cart path, Koerstz Madsen ultimately finished solo second in the JTBC Classic. While the ending was a touch disappointing, the 27-year-old isn’t being too hard on herself, instead choosing to focus on the positives derived from her win at the Honda LPGA Thailand and her second place at Aviara Golf Club as she heads up the road to the Chevron Championship. “I'm very proud,” she said. “I played really good week all week; had four rounds under par. It feels good doing that after a win.”

Korean rookie Na Rin An posted at 15-under after a final round 68 that saw five birdies on the card. Like Koerstz Madsen, An has already turned the page to next week’s major. “I think I played well overall, but there were some parts that were a bit disappointing,” she said. “With a major tournament next week, I want to focus on my game even more.”

A trio of players finished in a tie for fourth at -14 including Anannarukarn, Epson Tour graduate Maude-Aimee Leblanc and Rolex Rankings No. 1 Jin Young Ko who extended her streak of rounds under par to 34 after a final round 68. England’s Charley Hull carded a solo seventh while defending champion Inbee Park and UCLA alum Lilia Vu finished T8. LPGA Tour winner Amy Yang and Northern Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow finished out in a tie for 10th.

Koerstz Madsen proud of effort

It was a hard-fought battle until the end. Though she started the day with a three-shot 54-hole lead, Nanna Koerstz Madsen fell in a two-hole playoff to 19-year-old Tour rookie Atthaya Thitikul, who carded the week’s low round on Sunday, an 8-under 64. Coming off her maiden win at the Honda LPGA Thailand, Koerstz Madsen said she was still proud of carrying that momentum into the JTBC Classic presented by Barbasol.

“I played a good week and I'm happy with the game. I could have maybe have done a little better today, but it was what I could do,” said the Dane.

Koerstz Madsen started strong with a birdie on the first and fifth hole. She continued with a string of pars, including a crucial save on No. 10 after finding the water on her tee shot. Koerstz Madsen added her last birdie of the day on No. 17, but then made bogey on No. 18 after missing a five-footer to win outright. Thitikul, who had been waiting for the final result, and Koerstz Madsen then started the playoff with both players returning to No. 18. Koerstz Madsen’s chip from the rough left of the green helped keep the playoff going when both players parred the first extra hole.

“Well, I thought I had to make it actually, because it was a good chance for her; obviously it wasn't a gimme,” said Koerstz Madsen. “So, yeah, I had no pressure. I just tried to make the chip.”

The second playoff hole became the last when Koerstz Madsen hit her tee shot left and found herself standing on the cart path after deciding to forgo relief. Her next shot went right, hitting the water. Once finding the green, her final putt of the day lipped out, and though Koerstz Madsen ultimately couldn’t seal the deal, she said there’s still positives to think about heading into The Chevron Championship.

“If I dwell too much about what happened on 18 then golf is going to -- not play golf anymore. So I'm not going to think about it. Still a good week and I still had that win in Thailand. I'm sure there will be plenty of other opportunities,” said Koerstz Madsen. “I still got to be proud of myself this week, even though I did not get the win. I'm excited for next week. I'll take a day off tomorrow and then hopefully I'll play good next week.”

Rolex Rankings No. 14 Atthaya Thitikul (69-70-69-64)

She hit 9 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens, with 24 putts
Thitikul’s fourth-round 64 ties her lowest 18-hole score on the LPGA Tour; she last recorded it in the first round of the 2021 Honda LPGA Thailand
Thitikul becomes the third Rolex First-Time Winner of 2022, following Leona Maguire (LPGA Drive On Championship) and Nanna Koerstz Madsen (Honda LPGA Thailand)
At 19 years and 25 days, Thitikul is the youngest winner on the LPGA Tour since Brooke Henderson won the 2016 Cambia Portland Classic at 18 years, 9 months and 23 days
The last 19-year-old before Thitikul to win on Tour was Yuka Saso at the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open presented by ProMedica (19 years, 11 months, 21 days)
With the win, Thitikul becomes the sixth Thai winner on the LPGA Tour
In 2021, Thitkul won the Race to Costa del Sol, Rookie of the Year, and Player of the Year honors; joined Dame Laura Davies, Carlota Ciganda and Esther Henseleit as the only players to win the Race to Costa del Sol and Rookie of the Year in the same year
She was the youngest-ever winner of the Race to Costa del Sol at 18 years, 9 months and 8 days
Thitikul won the 2017 Ladies European Thailand Championship at 14 years, 4 months, and 19 days making her the youngest person ever to win a professional tournament
She also won the 2019 Ladies European Thailand Championship as an amateur
Also known by her nickname “Jeeno”