Thitikul Leads CME Group Tour Championship
NAPLES, Fla. – Jeeno Thitikul putted for birdie on every hole Friday in a performance worthy of the No. 1 player in women’s golf, giving her a 9-under 63 for a three-shot lead in the CME Group Tour Championship as the Thai star closes in on another $4 million payoff and LPGA player of the year.
Nelly korda, whom Thitikul replaced atop the world ranking earlier this year, saw enough putts drop for a 64 that put her atop the leaderboard about the time Thitikul was starting.
She wound up five shots behind, at least in the mix to win for the first time this year.
Thitikul made it hard on everyone, running off four straight birdies around the turn and six birdies in an eight-hole stretch. She played alongside Sei Young Kim, who did her best to keep pace and made six birdies on the back nine of Tiburon Golf Club to post a 66.
Thitikul, the defending champion, was at 14-under 130.
“Better than yesterday without a doubt,” Thitikul said with a smile. “Still not had no complaints with bogey free and then nine birdies. So I’ll take it.”
somi Lee, who opened the LPGA’s season finale with a 64, made bogey on the par-5 opening hole and never really got going. She had two birdies on her last five holes to salvage a 70 that left the South Korean four shots behind, along with Nasa Hataoka (67).
Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand, right, and Sei Young Kim of South Korea talk at the end of the second round of the LPGA Tour Championship golf tournament, Friday, Nov. 21,2025,in Naples,Fla.Credit: AP/Marta Lavandier
But this was the Thitikul show, and it was all Kim could do to keep up while playing alongside her on another warm day with receptive turf on the greens that allowed for such good scoring.
“Nine holes, Jeeno is a five-stroke (lead),” Kim said. “I try to make a lot of birdies, especially back nine. So yeah, I got the fire back nine. I mean, she’s amazing. She made every hole a birdie chance. She’s a great player. I make the bir
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