A couple of years ago, at the Buick LPGA Shanghai in China, Angel Yin (-21) marked her first victory on the US women’s circuit. The Californian golfer with a Chinese mother made the most of her return to her roots to showcase her skills. And this week, in Thailand, she seems ready to repeat and claim her second title on the tour, confirming that, for some reason, playing in Asia gives her golf an extra level of solidity and accuracy.
On Friday, with a spectacular 64, she was the only one to keep up with Japanese player Akie Iwai (-16), who, after an impressive ten under par in the first round, seemed destined for victory. Today she completed the comeback by repeating her scorecard to take the lead with a five-shot advantage and 18 holes to play. A display of skill at the Old Course of the Siam Country Club that only Thai player Trichat Cheenglab(-1), much lower on the leaderboard, managed to match.
A long birdie gives @angelyinlol control of the lead on Moving Day 👀 pic.twitter.com/PwoqyAw1UU
— LPGA (@LPGA) February 22, 2025
Yin stormed through the course with eight flawless birdies. She was splendid from tee to green, with 100% greens in regulation and recovering effortlessly the four times she missed the fairway. Additionally, she perfectly distributed her successes, with four birdies in the first half of her round and another four in the second, making her the favourite to win this reduced field event of the LPGA.
Iwai, after her great start to the tournament and yesterday’s 67 that allowed her to stay in the lead with some margin, got ‘stuck’ this Saturday with a round of 71, missing five fairways, with 14 out of 18 greens in regulation, and needing 30 putts to complete her round. She will keep trying tomorrow because this course allows for low scores and nothing is decided yet, but her game has declined throughout the tournament, making it difficult for her to win.
From bunker to birdie 🙌
Tune in now on @GolfChannel to catch @angelyinlol‘s Moving Day master class 📺 pic.twitter.com/Osek7yC1gt
— LPGA (@LPGA) February 22, 2025
Lurking are two Thai players, Jeeno Thitikul (-15) and Moriya Jutanugarn (-15), who will also find it challenging to surprise Yin and claim victory in their country. For Carlota Ciganda (-9), winning is already impossible, but today she posted her first scorecard under 70 in the tournament, showing great consistency and solidity since Thursday, and climbing into the top 20 of the leaderboard. The Navarrese player, with four birdies on her second nine to counteract her bogey on the 3rd, is just three shots away from the top 10 positions, which would be a great result this week.
