SWING ANALYSIS
Match Game
LAST SEASON WAS historic for Thai golfer Jeeno Thiti- kul. Besides reclaiming the
through the ball with the upper body,” says her swing coach of almost nine years, Kris Assawapimonporn, of the ASA Golf Academy in Bangkok, Thailand. “Once she does that, she’ll be able to hit the ball further. When everything works perfectly and her upper body matches her lower body, she can carry the ball six or seven more yards off the tee.” Those yardage gains would have Thitikul – currently averaging 265.2 yards off the tee – inside the top 30 in driving distance on tour, helping her to attack more flags and giving her even more birdie opportunities.
No 1 spot in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking, she recorded the lowest scoring average in LPGA Tour history (68.68), eclipsing Annika Sorenstam’s mark (68.69) from 2002. What can Thitikul (pronounced Tit- eh-coon) do for an encore? Considering all the 23-year-old former LPGA Rookie of the Year accomplished last year with- out dominating off the tee, there’s opti- mism she can go lower. “I want her to gain more speed
The LPGA’s all-time best scorer might turn a swing adjustment into even more birdies in 2026 BY DAVE ALLEN
PHOTOGRAPHS BY MATT TANNEHILL
46 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
MAY 2026
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator