After a long wait, "Pro Gino" opened her heart with deep emotion to her mother following her win at the Honda LPGA Thailand 2026.
On 20 Feb 2026, Pro Gino Atthaya Thitikul, the world's No.1 female Thai golfer, spoke candidly after winning the Honda LPGA Thailand 2026, which offered a total prize of 1.8 million USD (about 60 million baht), held at Siam Country Club Old Course in Pattaya, Chonburi Province.
The 23-year-old Thai pro claimed her first Honda LPGA Thailand title and her eighth LPGA Tour victory overall, finishing with a four-day total of 24 under par, narrowly beating Japanese pro Chizzy Iwai by just one stroke.
Pro Gino shared that this was a long-awaited moment, as it was the first time she won a championship in front of her mother, who could only come to cheer her on in tournaments held in Thailand.
Pro Gino said, "What I told my mom when she came to pour water and hugged me was that I finally won in front of her. My mom and grandfather haven't had a chance to watch me play in other tournaments since I turned pro. They can only watch me here in Thailand. My dad sometimes gets to go to Malaysia and Singapore."
"I've never had a photo with my mom holding a trophy before, so I really wanted to have that moment. While I was playing today, I imagined holding the trophy with my mom—it would be a very special moment. And it really happened. My mom was very happy, proud, and she cried a lot."