Jeeno Thitikul, the rising star from Thailand, is taking a two-shot lead into Sunday at the Kroger Queen City Championship after a solid 4-under 68 on Saturday.
Starting the third round with a narrow one-stroke advantage over Lydia Ko, Thitikul stretched her lead early on. However, a couple of hiccups toward the end shaved what was once a four-shot gap down to two, setting the stage for a nail-biting final round at TPC Riverโs Bend.
“I had a really good start today,” Thitikul said after her round. “Birdie on the first, then kept it going strong until near the finish. I still think it was a good round of golf.”
Reflecting on the pressure of holding the lead, she added, “Everyone chasing me can go low tomorrow, so I just need to make as many birdies as possible and focus on playing my own game.”
Thitikul was quick off the blocks, making birdie on the first hole while both Ko and fellow competitor Haeran Ryu stumbled with bogeys.
She added another birdie on the 3rd and took full advantage of the reachable par-5 8th to stretch her lead.
But then things got interesting on the 9th when Thitikul hit her tee shot wayward, ending up in the hospitality area.
After a brief search, she found her ball and scrambled for par to keep her momentum going.
On the back nine, Thitikul looked like she had everything under control until the 16th.
A misjudged shot left her in a greenside bunker, leading to her first bogey of the day.
On the very next hole, she found a fairway bunker off the tee and couldnโt save par, with back-to-back bogeys reducing her lead.
Luckily, she made a clutch birdie on the par-5 18th to end her round on a high note.
“Sometimes itโs tough to shake off a bad shotโit sticks in your mind,” she admitted. “Iโm trying to focus on the good shots and just keep a positive mindset.”
Meanwhile, Lydia Ko, whoโs been playing flawless golf for much of the week, finally dropped her first bogey on the opening hole of the third round.
Despite that, she remains just two strokes behind Thitikul and is hungry for another win. Ko, a seasoned pro with 21 LPGA titles, is looking for her third victory this season after an impressive summer that included her third major win at the AIG Womenโs Open and a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
Also in the mix is Yan Liu, whoโs playing in the final group for the first time. After a shaky rookie season last year, Liu is fighting to break through with a win.
“This is my first time in the final group,” Liu said, a mix of excitement and nerves showing. “I know I can play well, so I just need to believe in myself.”
Not far behind are Haeran Ryu and Albane Valenzuela, both tied for fourth. Ryu, fresh off her second LPGA win two weeks ago, has been in this position before and knows how to grind out a victory.
Valenzuela, a standout at the Solheim Cup, is chasing her first LPGA Tour title and could make a big statement with a strong Sunday performance.
With Thitikulโs lead shrinking and a stacked leaderboard behind her, Sundayโs final round in Cincinnati is shaping up to be a thrilling finish.
