In today’s world, athletes can earn big bucks in surprising ways, like Jeeno Thitikul did recently.
Thitikul, who once held the top spot in the world rankings, had a good season with a notable win at the Dow Championship alongside Ruoning Yin. However, her most significant payday came from an event she didn’t even attend.
Skipping The Annika Driven By Gainbridge At Pelican tournament, which was won by Nelly Korda, Thitikul still managed to snag a cool $1 million from the Aon Risk Reward Challenge. She edged out Haeran Ryu by 0.077 points to take home this prize .
Understanding the Aon Risk Reward Challenge:
This competition runs throughout the season and focuses on specific holes chosen for each event. Players aim to achieve the best average score on these selected holes by the end of the season. In men’s golf, Tyrrell Hatton took home this title for 2022-2023, while Angel Yin claimed it last year in women’s golf.
Even though Thitikul hadn’t played since October’s Maybank Championship, her impressive average of -0.900 under-par on those special holes secured her victory and that hefty prize.
Meanwhile, Nelly Korda is dominating elsewhere. She’s leading comfortably in the Race to CME Globe standings over players like Haeran Ryu and Lydia Ko. Her latest triumph at The Annika Driven By Gainbridge At Pelican saw her finish with a final round of 67, marking her seventh LPGA Tour win of 2024.
Fans might wonder how someone can win so much money without playing in a tournament!
What do you think about athletes earning big prizes without competing directly?
