05/10/25 06:51:00
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05/10 18:49 CDT Jeeno Thitikul regains the lead at Liberty National with Nelly
Korda on her heels
Jeeno Thitikul regains the lead at Liberty National with Nelly Korda on her
heels
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) --- Jeeno Thitikul handled a strong wind and a double
bogey at the turn by making nine birdies Saturday for a 7-under 65 that gave
her a one-shot lead over Celine Boutier going into the final round of the
Mizuho Americas Open.
Defending champion Nelly Korda missed a pair of birdie opportunities on the
back nine at Liberty National and settled for a 68, leaving her only two shots
behind as the No. 1 player in women's golf goes for her first win of the year.
The LPGA Tour moved up several tees to account for wind strong enough to bend
flagsticks, particularly on the closing stretch at Liberty National. That led
to some big finishes as players positioned themselves for the final round.
Thitikul, the No. 2 player in women's golf, was among those who took advantage.
She birdied the reachable par-4 16th with water down the right side, picked up
another birdie on the 17th and finished at 14-under 202.
"The strategies for today, I just trying to keep it on the fairway and then on
the green," Thitikul said. "I know it's going to be a really tough day and then
I have to be patient out there. So I don't know how I did that, but like I take
it."
Boutier rolled in a 40-foot birdie putt over a ridge on the 15th --- that was a
bonus --- for the start of three straight birdies. She made par on the 18th for
a 66 to leave her one shot behind.
"It was a nice setup today," Boutier said. "I feel like it was challenging with
the wind, but the setup made it possible to have some chances if you were
hitting good."
Korda tried to keep pace with Thitikul and rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt from
just off the green at the par-3 14th, which runs along the Hudson River across
from the Manhattan skyline. But her drive on the 16th left her a bad angle to
chip, and she had to settle for par.
With the wind at her back, she judged her wedge perfectly to 4 feet for birdie
at the 17th, and her 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th just stayed on the high
side of the hole.
"You just have to dial in to small target and you have to be focused 100% on
each shot," Korda said of the tough conditions, rain Friday and wind on a clear
Saturday. "You knew you were going to make mistakes. Had a pretty solid day."
Andrea Lee had her third straight 68 and joined Korda at 12-under 204. Yealimi
Noh chipped for eagle on the 16th and shot 67. She was three shots behind.
Thitikul, who opened with a 64, followed with a 73 and then came charging out
of the gates in the strongest of the wind. She had four birdies on the front
nine until hitting into the hazard in the par-4 sixth and making double bogey.
No matter. She responded with two birdies to erase that mistake, and she had
three birdies in four holes to start the back nine and stayed ahead of the pack
with her two late birdies.
Starting times are much earlier Sunday for the Mizuho Americas Open to be on
network television (CBS) for a 3 p.m. finish. The wind isn't likely to be a
strong, though Boutier said that might present a different set of challenges.
"It's supposed to be a bit less windy. I'm assuming the scores are going to be
kind of low, too," Boutier said. "We'll see what happens, but happy to be in
this position."
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
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