Naples, Florida (AP) — Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn completed a sensational season by snaring two of the big LPGA prizes that were up for grabs last week, clinching the yearlong Race to the CME Globe prize — and the $1 million bonus that comes with that — as well as the Vare Trophy for winning the season’s scoring title. The world No. 1 had already wrapped up player of the year honors, and finished 2018 with a 69.415 scoring average to edge Minjee Lee (69.747) for the top spot there.
Jutanugarn also won the LEADERS Top 10 competition with 17 top-10 finishes and the Money title at US$2,667,983 and set single-season records in rounds in the 60s (57) and birdies (470).
The young Thai star shot a 66 on Sunday at the CME Group Tour Championship in Florida, finishing the week tied for fifth at 12-under 276, behind winner Lexi Thompson of the USA.
“It felt great today,” Jutanugarn said. “I’m very proud of myself.”
Jutanugarn briefly lost the lead in the projected Globe standings on Sunday after Canada’s Brooke Henderson made three birdies in her first seven holes to grab the top spot. Jutanugarn reclaimed the advantage with four birdies in a six-hole stretch midway through her round, and the trophy was just about locked up when she birdied the par-5 14th almost simultaneously to Henderson making bogey on the par-3 16th.
Jutanugarn finished in style, rolling in a 15-footer for birdie on the final hole to cap the year where she swept the LPGA’s biggest prizes.
“It means so much to me because like to be honest, after 2016 I never expected anything,” Jutanugarn said. “I feel like I achieve like too much already in my life, so I never think I can do anything more than that. So this year … just like unbelievable.”
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