Second-ranked Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand took a three-stroke lead on a windy Saturday in the LOTTE Championship in a bid for her fourth LPGA Tour victory of the season
HONOLULU (AP) — Second-ranked Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand took a three-stroke lead on a windy Saturday in the LOTTE Championship in a bid for her fourth LPGA Tour victory of the season.
“It’s not a course that you just sit down and hope for everyone not catching you,” Thitikul said. “You have to go far away from them, too.”
After dropping a shot on the par-4 seventh with her first bogey of the week, Thitikul had three straight birdies to start the back nine at Hoakalei Country Club.
The 23-year-old Thitikul parred the next four holes, then birdied the par-4 17th and par-5 18th. She had a 5-under 67 to get to 17-under 199 with a round left.
“I think the wind kind of less than what I expected to be,” Thitikul said. “That’s why it’s kind of easier for us. I think my irons pretty good the past few days. Hopefully, tomorrow going to be like this, too.”
Polly Mack, tied for the second-round lead with Thitikul, had a 70 to join Ina Yoon at 14 under.
“I’m just looking forward to a great Sunday, good momentum," Mack said. “I know I have it in me to just put on a good show out there.”
Yoon shot 69.
“Was a little windy. It was little challenging for me,” Yoon said. “But I think stayed calm and tried to focus on each shot.”
Maja Stark (67) and Carolina Melgrati (70) were 13 under, and Lilia Vu (66) was another stroke back with Miyu Yamashita (69) and Michelle Zhang (70).
The tournament leads to a month of tournaments in Asia, starting with the Buick LPGA Shanghai on Oct. 15-18.
___
