Thitikul’s back-nine birdies build three-shot LOTTE lead before Sunday

Jeeno Thitikul birdied five holes on the back nine Saturday to open a three-stroke lead at the LOTTE Championship in Hawaii. Her 5-under 67 brought her to 17-under 199 through three rounds at Hoakalei Country Club, leaving Polly Mack and Ina Yoon nearest to her heading into Sunday’s final round.

Thitikul started Saturday tied with Mack, then separated herself after the turn. She birdied Nos. 10, 11 and 12, followed four pars with birdies at 17 and 18, and put distance between herself and the players chasing a Sunday win. Her bogey at the par-4 seventh was her first of the week.

Mack shot 70 and Yoon shot 69 to finish the day at 14 under. Their three-shot deficit means either will need to make up ground against a leader who has kept mistakes scarce through 54 holes. Thitikul is seeking her fourth LPGA Tour victory of the season.

Maja Stark matched Thitikul’s 67 and reached 13 under, alongside Carolina Melgrati, who shot 70. Lilia Vu’s 66 moved her to 12 under with Miyu Yamashita and Michelle Zhang. The completed-round totals put Vu five shots behind Thitikul, even though she was closer to the clubhouse lead earlier in the afternoon.

The strongest score among the players discussed in Golf Channel’s report belonged to Hailee Cooper. Her bogey-free 64 included runs of three consecutive birdies on both sides of the course and lifted her to 11 under. Yana Wilson also reached 11 under with a bogey-free 66, which Golf Channel reported was her career low.

Those rounds gave the chase more depth, but Cooper and Wilson still enter Sunday six strokes behind. Mack and Yoon have the shortest gap, with Stark and Melgrati another stroke back.

Wind was part of Saturday’s test. Golf Channel reported that Wilson found more holes playing into it, while Vu described a different wind direction from the first two rounds. Thitikul told the Associated Press that the wind was lighter than she had expected and that her iron play had been good over the past few days.

Sunday concludes the tournament before the tour heads toward its Asian swing, starting with the Buick LPGA Shanghai on October 15–18. Thitikul has the three-stroke advantage after turning a shared halfway lead into a clear position at the top with her closing birdies.