Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand shot a 64 to grab a share of a three-way tie for the lead after 54 holes at the Maybank Championship in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Saturday.
An eagle at the par-5 No. 3 and a trio of birdies on the front nine left her at 5-under par 31 for the first half of the round. She closed with consecutive birdies at holes Nos. 16-18 to finish with a 16-under 200 after three rounds at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.
The 21-year-old Thitikul will be matched in the final group Sunday with co-leaders Ruoning Yin, 22, of China and South Korean Haeran Ryu, 23.
Yin shot a 66 and Ryu a 67 as they leapfrogged Sweden’s Maja Stark (70), who led after three rounds but fell into fourth, two strokes back at 14-under.
“Was good. Couldn’t ask for better,” Thitikul said of her effort. “I mean, like I have been in contention week in, week out, and then what I focus for about, it’s just like trying to do better every day no matter [what] any people going to do. But like today is the day I really enjoy playing and everything went so well.”
And maybe it’s Thitikul’s turn to win. In the 2023 edition of the tournament, she ended 72 holes tied with France’s Celine Boutier before losing in a nine-hole playoff.
Boutier is lurking again this year, with her 68 putting her into a tie with Marina Alex (71) at 12-under par in fifth place.
Ryu produced her 67 on Saturday despite not feeling very well. She started strong with four birdies but mustered just one, at the par-4 17th hole, on the back nine.
“Today was a tough day for me, but I made some bogey-free round and a lot of birdies today,” Ryu said. “But the back nine hole is a little bit boring play, but I made some long birdie putt at the hole 17 and I’m so happy for there.”
“Tomorrow I want to make some birdie last nine holes,” she said.
So will Yin and Thitikul, who is among the hottest players on the LPGA Tour. She has top-10 finishes in each of her past five starts and has the lowest scoring average on the season among all tour players.
Yin, looking for her second tournament win in three weeks, scattered six birdies throughout the round.
“I think I had a hot start today and just made a couple putts on the front nine, and then I slowed down a little bit from — start from 7, 7 to 13 I think,” Yin said. “I just left myself really like a lot of birdie chances but couldn’t make it until 14. My caddie, David, he told me, be patient. Just do what you’re doing and a birdie will come. I’m really happy that I had a great finish there.”
–Field Level Media
