Jeeno Thitikul prolonged his lead with a 4-under 68 to maneuver two forward at 16-under in a spherical on the Kroger Queen Metropolis Championship pole, whereas England’s Charley Hull stays eight strokes behind.
Titicourt, the previous world No. 1 participant, entered the day with a one-stroke lead and was in search of her first solo LPGA victory in two years.
On a heat and sunny day, the 21-year-old from Thailand began her day with birdies on her first three holes (one and three) and completed on the eighth and third holes. Birdies on the eleventh and fifteenth holes and a bogey on the again.
She birdied the par-5 18th gap to flee the warmth and finish the day with a rally.
“I feel staying hydrated is crucial factor,” Titikul mentioned. “Then you definitely see all of the umbrellas and that is the solar – it is actually killing us this week.
“But it surely’s good. It is good. I prefer it higher than the chilly climate.”
New Zealander Lydia Ko, who performed with Titiku, was closest to her at 14 below after taking pictures a 3-under 69.
After a bogey within the first set, Ko’s spherical remained regular. Since then, she birdied the eighth, tenth, 14th and 18th holes.
Gao received Olympic gold and AIG Girls’s Open gold over the summer time and just lately earned sufficient profession factors to be inducted into the LPGA Corridor of Fame.
Chinese language participant Liu Yan shot 68 after three rounds, 4 below par, and completed third. She had a powerful day that included a double bogey on the third gap and an eagle on the eleventh. She balanced an additional bogey with 5 birdies.
Korean participant Haeran Ryu (70) and Swiss participant Albane Valenzuela (68) entered the highest 5 with scores of 12 below par after 54 holes.
“I feel there’s a whole lot of birdie alternatives right here and the women are fairly low, so I am simply making an attempt to get as many birdies as I can,” Valenzuela mentioned. “If it is one, if it is 10, who is aware of? That is golf. You possibly can’t management the variables. All I can do is persist with my course of, my routine, and do one of the best I can.”
5 golfers tied for sixth, 5 strokes behind the chief: Lindy Duncan (68), South Korea’s Jang Hyo-jun (67), Australia’s Stephanie Kiriakou (69), Thailand’s Jasmine Su Wannapura (69) and Filipino Bianca Pagdanganan (69).
World No. 1 Nelly Korda is six photographs behind the chief at 10 below.
Hull shot a 4-under 68 and completed in twenty third place at 8-under.
Who will win the Kroger Queen Metropolis Championship? Watch stay on Sky Sports activities all weekend lengthy. Dwell protection will proceed on Sunday at 6pm on Sky Sports activities Golf Channel. Live stream DP World Tour, PGA Tour, LPGA Tour and more with NOW.
Get one of the best offers and e-book a spherical at one in every of 1,700 programs throughout the UK and Eire