Young and talented! Two terms that can aptly describe the 21-year-old Atthaya ‘Jeeno’ Thitikul. Any objections? Didn’t think so, since her stats and figures speak for themselves if you consider them. But… were they just the result of her hard work, or was someone else behind her, pushing the golfer to success? Cue the entry of her most trusted caddie!

Over the four years that she played professionally, she has raked in a total of 15 victories, 3 of which came on the LPGA Tour. And by her side was none other than Banpot Bunpisansaree, who advised her on the greens. That’s not all; he was also there to keep her company during many events, especially when her parents and other close family were absent. Truly a trustworthy companion to have!

Banpot Bunpisansaree and the support he gave to Atthaya Thitikul

It was back in 2022 when Thitikul became the second-youngest golfer to conquer the world No. 1 position. Beside the then-19-year-old was her looper, who grew up in Chonburi, Thailand. Considering the age of the teenager and the feat she was able to achieve, it doesn’t take much to realize how much of an effect the experienced bagman had in helping her reach the top.

For a little bit of context: Bunpisansaree had been carrying the bags on the Asian Tour before joining hands with the LPGA Tour pro. Initially, he wasn’t a big fan of golf, but everything changed when a friend asked him to go watch him play. Suffice it to say, he was hooked on the game! And now, the most enjoyable part of his job is tackling each challenge that various courses dish out, with the Evian Resort being his favorite.

“I meant a lot to me, but I think it meant a lot more to him,” divulged the golfer during the 2022 Japan Toto Classic. The athlete’s looper had, back then, received a green caddie bib ahead of the event owing to his golfer reaching the top spot on the Rolex Rankings.  “I think,” added Thitikul, “He dreams of wearing the green bib since day one of caddying for me.” If you don’t know what that bib means, it basically recognizes the caddie of the best player in the world. Understandably, a huge moment for him.

Thitikul and her caddie’s road to the top

Her first win that season and her LPGA Tour career came at the JTBC Classic, where she scored 16-under 272 to tie with the Danish athlete Nanna Koerstz Madsen, only to beat her in a playoff. Fast forward six months into September, and Atthaya ‘Jeeno’ Thitikul clinched another victory at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship. Again, her 17-under 196 tied her with Danielle Kang, leading her to beat the golfer at a playoff.

That’s not all. Would a golfer be able to achieve the top spot in the same season when Lydia Ko had raked in three victories? A ‘No’ would be the answer. Then how did she actually do it? Well, the then-19-year-old Thai professional, with the help of her caddie, racked up as many as 16 top-10 finishes that season. Such a feat, that too at 19 years old, wouldn’t have been possible without Bunpisansaree. It’s no wonder the two have immense trust in each other!

The ‘Thitikul and Bunpisansaree’ connection

The two are known to have a great connection on and off the greens. This was evident in a video that the LPGA Tour shared on their Instagram handle about the caddie-golfer duo as part of the ‘Who is Your Caddie’ series. “What is your favorite food?” asked the interviewer to which Bunpisansaree wrote ‘In and Out burger’ on his card while Thitikul said the same.

A moving moment? Wouldn’t blame you. However, that was just the start of the interview, following which the duo were met with many queries. One of them, interestingly, included a question about the total number of birdies she carded that year. Neither she nor her caddie knew the answer. “That’s good,” replied the golfer hilariously, “Because I’m not going to fire him.”

It’s not surprising that they know so much about each other. Ruoning Yin, after her victory at the DOW Championship with Thitikul, had pointed out how the Thai golfer just has her manager and caddie with her during the various tournaments. “I’m lucky to have my parents with me,” said the LPGA Tour Pro while alluding to how lonely it gets for the 21-year-old at times, “But Jeeno also has a manager, caddie travel with her, but it’s kind of different.”

It takes a true friend and confidant to support you through such a hard time, and Banpot Bunpisansaree seems to have nailed that role almost perfectly. Now, all they need is for Atthaya Thitikul and her caddie to climb even higher in their careers.