NAPLES, Fla. — Gino Titikul had 9 birdies for the second day in a row, this time posting an 8-under 64, permitting the Thai star to drag away Saturday and construct a six-shot lead heading into the ultimate spherical of the CME Group Tour Championship.
Titicle, the No. 1 participant in girls’s golf, is one spherical away from sweeping all of the awards on the LPGA Tour, together with a examine for $4 million.
She virtually gained the LPGA Participant of the 12 months and the Vale Trophy for lowest scoring common, and will set an LPGA report relying on her closing spherical.
Nelly Korda shot a 65 however was nonetheless behind. She was six strokes behind Thailand’s Pajari Anannarkhan, who additionally shot a 65 at Tiburon Golf Membership on one other heat and comparatively calm day.
Titicle had a 22-under 196. He gained final yr with a 22 underneath par and made it clear that his work shouldn’t be performed but.
“I need to go for birdies, birdies, birdies,” he stated with a stress-free smile.
After a bogey on the par-5 first gap, Titicle regained momentum with 4 birdies over a five-hole stretch. On the again 9, he made 4 birdies in a row and took management.
The ultimate pairing would be the No. 1 and No. 2 gamers in girls’s golf, however Titicle’s play this week nonetheless looks like a mismatch.
“I used to be simply making an attempt to do the identical factor,” Titicle stated. “I am simply making an attempt to hit the green and discover the very best factor I can do to get nearer to the pin and make the putt. It is a easy technique.”
He has already made 24 birdies in 54 holes this week. By the point she reached the ultimate spherical, she had missed simply 5 fairways and 6 greens.
Korda was six pictures behind Sunday, however had no intention of doing something totally different.
“You’re competing arduous and making an attempt to win, however you additionally should play the sport and never get too forward of your self,” she stated. “As a result of if you happen to get a bit too forward of your self or attempt a bit too arduous, errors begin to creep in and it turns into much less helpful.”
It is her final likelihood to keep away from a second winless season in three years on the LPGA. The exception was final yr, when he gained seven video games, together with his second main championship.
Anannarkhan was the sixtieth and closing participant to qualify for the season-ending event, and all 60 gamers had an opportunity to win the $4 million prize, no matter their placement. She made probably the most of her alternative by chipping in on the sixth gap for eagle.
“It’s very good,” she stated. “Going into this week, I believe I had some good alternatives this week and contemplating how I’ve performed this season, I am actually pleased with how I’ve performed. It is nice to see the outcomes present and issues shifting in a optimistic route.”
Kim Sei-young, who performed within the closing group with Titikul, needed to accept a 68 for fourth place, seven strokes behind. Gaby Lopez (Mexico) posted her lowest spherical of the week, a 62.
However it all begins with Titikul, who has an opportunity to affix South Korea’s Jinyoung Ko as the one consecutive winners of the CME Group Tour Championship.
