Five things to know about No. 1 Atthaya Thitikul

Atthaya Thitikul will tee it up as the No. 1 player in the world for the first time this week at the Toto Japan Classic. The 19-year-old joins Lydia Ko as the only teenagers to reach No. 1. Thitikul, who goes by the nickname “Jeeno,” is also the second rookie in history to become No. 1, along with South Korea’s Sung Hyun Park.

“I hadn’t thought that I would be No. 1 in the world that fast,” said Thitikul during a pre-tournament press conference in Japan. “And I didn’t think I would achieve this in my first year on the LPGA as well. Overall, I’m feeling great. Feeling grateful that this has happened this year.”

With three events left on the LPGA schedule in 2022, Thitikul will skip next week’s Pelican LPGA Championship and close out her season at the CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida. She joins Ariya Jutanugarn as the only Thai players to reach No. 1.

“Being No. 1 is pressure,” said Thitikul. “I don’t know how long I’m going to be No. 1 in the world, but at least it’s just a ranking. But, what you have to do is improve yourself a lot. I mean, no matter where I am – No. 1, 10, 20, or 100 – I’m just trying to improve myself and be myself every day that I play as a person and as a competitor as well.”

Here are five things to know about the humble prodigy who now sits on top of the world:

Leading amateur Atthaya Thitikul of Thailand poses with the silver medal during Day Four of the AIG Women’s British Open at Woburn Golf Club on August 04, 2019, in Woburn, England. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

In 2017, Thitikul become the youngest player to ever win on the Ladies European Tour when she claimed the Ladies European Thailand Championship at 14 years, 4 months and 19 days. She shot 70-71-70-72 to win by two.

Thitikul broke the record held by Lydia Ko, who won the 2013 New Zealand Open as an amateur at 15 years, 9 months and 17 days.

She first became the No. 1 amateur in the world on June 26, 2019. While that first stint only lasted a week, she spent another 11 weeks at the top beginning in October 2019. She lost the No. 1 ranking when she turned professional in January 2020 at age 16.

Atthaya Thitikul looks on on the 6th hole during day two of the 2021 Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains, France. (Photo: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

Thitikul won five times on the Thai LPGA during the pandemic when travel restrictions…