Thai Jeeno Thitikul has overcome a rocky closing stretch to expand her lead over Kiwi Hall of Famer Lydia Ko, finishing with a birdie for a four-under 68 and a two-shot advantage in the Kroger Queen City Championship.
Thitikul holed a 20-footer from the fringe for birdie on the par-four 15th hole to reach five under for the day and 17 under for the tournament, four shots ahead of Ko, before dropping shots on the next two holes. She closed with a birdie on the par-five 18th at TPC River’s Bend for a 54-hole total of 16-under 200 in hot, dry conditions that caused the golf course to get firmer.
"I have an eight-iron for the second shot into the par five. I’m just like, ‘How can I have eight-iron on a par five and how can I drive like that?'" she said. "It's definitely not my length, just like bouncing or maybe just kick off really well."
Ko shot 69. Yan Liu (68) was three shots behind, and Albane Valenzuela (68) and Haeran Ryu (70) were four back.
Top-ranked Nelly Korda couldn't make a charge, shooting 69 as part of a big group at 10 under.
Thitikul, who's No.15 in the women's world rankings, teamed with Ruoning Yin to the win the Dow Championship this year, but doesn't have an individual victory in nearly two years.
"Every player who chasing for the leaderboard can go really low,"she said. "If you can make as much as birdie as you can and then just play your game, whatever it takes.”
Third-ranked Ko is trying to extend a dream summer that includes her gold medal at the Paris Olympics — that victory got her into the LPGA Hall of Fame — and her third Major title in the Women's British Open at St Andrews.
Her third round featured four birdies and just the one bogey on the par-four opening hole. She also rounded off her day with birdie on the last.
"I think, all in all, I’ve been really consistent with my ballstriking," said Ko. "The putting has been the most average part of my game this week.
"I’ve still been able to make crucial putts at the right time. Sometimes, when you do give yourself so many opportunities, you feel like you're not putting as well as actually you are, so I was just trying to not get down on myself."
Swiss Valenzuela has fared best among the 11 players who were in the field last week, when the United States beat Europe in the Solheim Cup.
"It was such a blessing," she said. "Playing in the Solheim was a dream come true and the crowds on Sunday were crazy.
"I think it just actually energised me a ton."
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