NAPLES, Fla. — Angel Yin was showcasing her skills with impressive putts from all corners of the green, appearing to establish a significant lead during the third round of the CME Group Tour Championship. However, Jeeno Thitikul surged ahead with a remarkable finish, achieving an eagle and a birdie for a stellar 9-under 63, which allowed her to share the lead as the tournament heads into its final day, with a hefty prize of $4 million at stake.
Yin managed a 69 on the day, highlighted by her long putts and a spectacular chip-in from approximately 60 feet for an eagle on the sixth hole, showcasing her strong performance at Tiburon Golf Club. Throughout her round, she drained a 30-footer for birdie on the eighth, followed by impressive birdies of 25 feet on the ninth and another from 30 feet on the 12th.
Initially, Thitikul seemed unnoticed until she turned up the heat on the back nine, scoring a 30. Despite starting with three consecutive bogeys, she quickly regained her form with an eagle on the reachable par-5 17th and a birdie on the final hole. This birdie momentarily propelled her into the lead before Yin matched it with her own birdie on the 17th, leaving both players tied at 15-under 201, pulling three shots ahead of Ruoning Yin, who concluded her round with two birdies for a score of 66.
Charley Hull also impressed with seven birdies in her round of 66, putting her at 11-under 205, tied with South Korea’s Narin An. Nelly Korda, who had made a comeback on Friday, struggled with a 69, leaving her six strokes behind as the tournament heads towards its final round. Korda, who has achieved four victories this year on the LPGA Tour, faces a challenging task if she hopes to claim another title.
The championship is offering the largest payout in women’s golf history, with $4 million awaiting the winner, nearly equal to Korda’s total earnings this year from her seven victories. Thitikul has already secured a $1 million bonus this week through the Aon Risk-Reward Challenge, which assesses players on their performance at a specific hole each week. If she wins, her total prize money could balloon to an impressive $5 million.
“Honestly, $1 million is plenty for me,” Thitikul admitted. “If I can earn more, that would be wonderful, especially since my team knows I have a penchant for shopping. That motivates me to keep performing well.”
Angel Yin drew considerable support from fans with her long birdies and eagle chip-in. Additionally, she salvaged several pars after some wayward drives. Her errant shot on No. 10 sent her well left, but she successfully blasted out on a blind shot just short of the green, ultimately getting up-and-down with a pitch to within four feet. A similar occurrence happened at the 13th, where another misdirected tee shot forced her to recover from just before some bushes, and she brilliantly made a wedge shot from 50 yards to about 15 feet, which she converted to maintain her lead.
“I’m still scoring well,” Yin reflected. “I’ve made some mistakes, but I’m managing to save par on crucial holes, so there are plenty of positives to take away.”