Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand hits from a fairway at the 2nd fairway during the first round of Maybank LPGA Championship golf tournament at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country club in Kuala Lumpur, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) – Jeeno Thitikul lost a lengthy playoff at the LPGA Tour’s Maybank Championship in 2023. On Saturday she shot an 8-under 64 to leave her in a three-way tie for the lead after three rounds and with a chance to win the tournament outright this year.
The Thai player had a three-round total of 16-under 200 on the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club course. She was tied with Ruoning Yin (66) and Haeran Ryu (67) going into Sunday’s final round.
Last year Thitikul lost in a playoff to Celine Boutier of France. The two players tied for first place at 21-under par, then played a nine-hole playoff which the French player won. The playoff tied for the second-longest in LPGA Tour history.
“It’s been like a heaven week, to be honest,” Thitikul said Saturday. “You know, like KL (Kuala Lumpur) is close to Thailand and I feel like it’s a second home here. All the fans cheering out here, it’s really nice and amazing to be here. And then also the golf course, it’s one of my favorites so far.”
Second-round leader Maja Stark shot 70 and was in fourth place, two behind the leaders. Defending champion Boutier was four strokes behind Thitikul after a 68 and tied for fifth with American Marina Alex (71).
“Obviously it’s good to have memories and stuff, but also know I have to focus on what I’m doing and I feel like this course is pretty score-able so you have to go out there and be aggressive,” Boutier said.
Hannah Green, who earned her third victory of 2024 and sixth of her career last week in South Korea, shot a 68 and was at 8-under, eight strokes behind. She was tied with Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., who shot 66 Saturday.
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