Atthaya Thitikul's Name Revolution: How "Jeeno" Redefined an LPGA Superstar

(ORLANDO, FL) – What happens when one of golf’s brightest stars erases her own name? Meet Atthaya Thitikul – or rather, don’t. The 22-year-old Thai phenom now insists the world call her “Jeeno,” a decision that coincided with her shattering the LPGA’s single-season earnings record ($6.06 million in 2024). “It’s me reclaiming my identity,” she told Golf Channel after November’s historic $4 million CME Championship win.

This isn’t mere rebranding. Atthaya Thitikul’s mid-2024 pivot to her childhood nickname sparked the most dominant streak in women’s golf – two 2025 tournament victories, a major runner-up finish at Evian, and that seismic paycheck. Yet few outside Thailand grasp what “Jeeno” truly means. “It honors my father’s Chinese roots,” she revealed, explaining how her mother coined “Jeen” (Thai for “Chinese people”) before a coach added the playful “-o.”

Why Atthaya Thitikul Became “Jeeno”

The transformation solves a practical headache. “Commentators butchered ‘Atthaya’ for years,” notes ESPN’s Michael Collins. “Even peers hesitated to say it.” Atthaya Thitikul confirmed the frustration: “I wanted something unique but accessible for fans.”

Her solution emerged from family history. “My mother nicknamed me Jeen as a nod to Dad’s heritage,” she shared at June’s Mizuho Americas Open, where her four-stroke victory cemented the name’s global arrival. The evolution to “Jeeno” came from a beloved junior coach – Thailand’s first LPGA player – who added the suffix. “That ‘o’ made it feel like mine,” Atthaya Thitikul emphasized.

Pronunciation Breakthrough: Say It Like a Pro

Jeeno: “GEE-no” (soft “G” like gem, emphasis equal)
Thitikul: “TIH-tih-kool” (rhymes with “it’s a cool”)

LPGA announcer Terry Gannon confirms: “We received official audio from her team. Getting this right matters to her.”

The Domino Effect: Wins, Records, and Recognition

Since the rebrand, Atthaya Thitikul’s career ignited:

November 2024: Claims $4M CME Championship under “Jeeno”
December 2024: Secures $1M Aon Risk Reward Challenge bonus
May 2025: Wins Mizuho Americas Open by 4 strokes
July 2025: Runner-up at Evian Championship

“Names hold power,” observes sports psychologist Dr. Carla Edwards. “Her ownership of ‘Jeeno’ visibly amplified her confidence in pressure moments.”

Cultural Reckoning Beyond Golf

The shift transcends convenience. “This is generational,” asserts Thai-American journalist Stephanie Wei. “Older Asian athletes often anglicized names passively. Atthaya Thitikul proactively chose her truth while honoring roots.”

Sponsors quickly adapted. Callaway’s “Team Jeeno” campaign launched weeks after her name announcement, while Adidas redesigned her hat logo. “We celebrate athletes who own their narratives,” said a brand representative.

By the Numbers: Atthaya Thitikul’s Ascent

Metric	Pre-Jeeno (2022-2023)	As Jeeno (2024-2025)
Wins	3	5
Earnings	$3.2M	$9.1M+
Major Top 10s	4	7
Social Media Growth	290K	1.1M

What Lies Ahead

With Atthaya Thitikul now firmly established as “Jeeno,” the golf world awaits her next move. Can she dethrone World No. 1 Lilia Vu? Will a major crown follow? “She’s playing free,” says CBS analyst Dottie Pepper. “That name didn’t just change her scorecard – it unleashed her.”

As fans echo her preferred “Jeeno!” across galleries, one truth resonates: In rewriting her identity, this champion rewrote golf history.