LPGA Tour: Jeeno Thitikul builds Kroger Queen City Championship lead with Lydia Ko in pursuit and Charley Hull adrift

Jeeno Thitikul extended her lead with a four-under par 68, going ahead by two strokes on 16 under with a round to play at the Kroger Queen City Championship, while England’s Charley Hull remains eight shots back. 

Thitikul, a former world No 1 who entered the day nursing a one-stroke lead, is seeking her first individual LPGA win in two years.

On a warm sunny day, the 21-year-old from Thailand started her day hot with birdies on two of her first three holes – the first and third – and sprinkled in birdies on the eighth, 11th and 15th before eventually suffering bogeys on back-to-back holes on 16 and 17.

She closed her day with a rally to grab a birdie on the par-five 18th, shaking off the challenge of the heat.

“I think stay(ing) hydrated is the most important here,” Thitikul said. “And then you can see all the umbrella, which is the sun – it’s really killing us this week.

“But it’s good. It’s good. I like it more than the cold weather.”

New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, who Thitikul paired with, remains her closest pursuer at 14 under after her three-under 69.

Ko’s round was steady after a bogey to open on the first. From there, she scored birdies on the eighth, 10th, 14th and 18th.

Ko, who won Olympic gold and the AIG Women’s Open over the summer, also recently clinched enough career points to be inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame.

China’s Yan Liu fired a four-under 68 to take third place after three rounds. Her day ran the gamut, including a double bogey on the third and an eagle on the 11th. She balanced an additional bogey with five birdies.

South Korea’s Haeran Ryu (70) and Switzerland’s Albane Valenzuela (68) round out the top five at 12 under after 54 holes.

“I think here there is a lot of birdie opportunities and girls go low, so I’m just trying to make as many as I can,” Valenzuela said. “If it’s one, if it’s 10, like who knows? It’s golf. You can’t control the variables. All I can do is really stick to my process, my routine, and try my best.”

Five golfers are tied for sixth five shots behind the leader: Lindy Duncan (68), South Korea’s Hyo Joon Jang (67), Australia’s Stephanie Kyriacou (69), Thailand’s Jasmine Suwannapura (69) and the Philippines’ Bianca Pagdanganan (69).

World No 1 Nelly Korda sits six shots off the lead on 10 under.

Hull is tied for 23rd on eight under after a four-under 68.

Who will win the Kroger Queen City Championship? Watch throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues Sunday from 6pm on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the DP World Tour, PGA Tour, LPGA Tour and more with NOW.

Get the best prices and book a round at one of 1,700 courses across the UK & Ireland