Popular Asian restaurant in Naples fuels LPGA stars, including Jeeno Thitikul
Beth Ann Nichols- A Naples, Florida, restaurant called Sushi-Thai Too is a popular dining spot for many top Asian LPGA players.
- Golfer Jeeno Thitikul leads the CME Group Tour Championship by six shots, with Nelly Korda and Pajaree Anannarukarn tied for second.
- Thitikul celebrated her win last year with a spicy papaya salad from the restaurant and plans to do so again.
- A victory would give Thitikul the Player of the Year title, the Vare Trophy, the money title, and a $4 million prize.
NAPLES, Fla. – On Friday at Sushi-Thai Too, Jeeno Thitikul was holding court at a long table by the kitchen. Players can order off the menu, of course, but the owner, Sathit "Todd" Boonyavairoj, likes to prepare homemade meals for the best golfers in the world.
There are four locations of Sushi-Thai Too and the one that sits across the street from the Ritz-Carlton Naples is the nightly spot for Thitikul, as it is for Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn and so many of the tour's top Asian players.
Thailand's Pajaree Anannarukarn, Thitikul's best friend, rated it her No. 1 food stop on tour. Thitikul turned on the golf last Sunday afternoon to see if her friend would make the 60-player field at the CME Group Tour Championship. Anannarukarn made it right on the number, 60th, and currently sits six shots back of Thitikul in a share of second with Nelly Korda.
Sushi-Thai Too offers a blend of Thai and Japanese food. When Thitikul won last year's CME, she ordered papaya salad to celebrate. It's too spicy to eat during the tournament, so she saves it for Sunday night.
"Like crying after I eat it," said Thitikul. "Like spicy, Thai spicy."
Anannarukarn loves the salmon skin salad and Kai Pa Lo, a traditional dish made with hard-boiled eggs and tender pork belly.
"You're far away from home," said Thitikul. "To be able to eat the food that you love and the food that you're used to, just feels like home."
The easygoing Boonyavairoj floated between Anannarukarn's and Thitikul's groups during Saturday's round. He'll have to do the same on Sunday as the top two players in the world, Thitikul and Korda, will play alongside each other in the final round, with Anannarukarn in the group behind alongside Sei Young Kim.
Korda, still in search of her first win of 2025, posted a 65 on Saturday. She'll need to come out firing once again to have a chance against the ultra-consistent Thitikul.
"I would say it just depends on the weather, pin placements, how well you hit it off the tee," said Korda of her ability to attack. "If you put yourself in a position where you can be aggressive usually that's kind of the green light for me."
Mexico's Gaby Lopez tied the course record on Day 3 with a 10-under 62.
One of only two two-time winners on the LPGA this season, Thitikul posted a 64 to get to 22 under for the tournament. She opened the weekend with a bogey and then birdied four of the next five holes.
A victory on Sunday would give Thitikul a clean sweep – Rolex Player of the Year, Vare Trophy for low scoring average, the money title and, for a second consecutive year, a $4 million payday.
Either way, she's having the papaya salad.