Whoever can, tie. Because winning, my friend, is impossible. The LPGA Tour has written the perfect script for its grand finale. Last round of the last tournament of the year and the World Number One and Number Two will go out together in the star match. Unbeatable. To be picky, the only special effect that could be added is for the leaderboard to be a bit tighter. In any case, it cannot be denied that it is a beautiful and precise tribute to women’s golf.
This is how the third round of the CME Group Tour Championship, the season-ending tournament of the LPGA Tour held at the Tiburón Golf Club in Florida, has unfolded. Jeeno Thitikul (-22), World Number One, leads the tournament after delivering a colossal card of 64 strokes, eight under par, the second-best of the day after the beastly 62 scored by Mexican Gaby López. And that’s despite Thitikul starting the day with a bogey on the 1st. From there, nine flawless birdies. Unstoppable.
Yesterday she made the first cut, and today she almost dropped the guillotine on the tournament. It cannot be said that she has already won the tournament, because we know how golf can be, but she certainly has a wide cushion. It wouldn’t be the first time Thitikul has tangled on a Sunday. Be that as it may, the six-stroke lead she has over Nelly Korda (-16), World Number Two, and Pajaree Anannarukarn (-16) seems more than sufficient. We’ll see tomorrow.
Let’s remember that this Sunday the season champion of the LPGA Tour will be decided. The one who wins the tournament will be the winner of the Race to CME Globe. Additionally, they will pocket a cheque for four million dollars. That’s precisely what Thitikul did last year and she’s on track to repeat it tomorrow. It would be her second consecutive CME Group Tour Championship.
In fourth position is Sei Young Kim (-15), who shared the match today with Thitikul and couldn’t keep up with her pace. Additionally, young Englishwoman Lottie Woad (-11) has slipped into the top 10, continuing to amaze.
The Spaniard Carlota Ciganda (-5) has bounced back from yesterday’s round and delivered a very good card of 67 strokes. She has regained positions on the leaderboard and still has a chance to finish tomorrow among the top ten, provided she delivers the best round of the day. She is six strokes away from that ambitious goal. Today she made seven birdies and two bogeys, missing only two greens in regulation.
