Field Level Media
22 Nov 2025, 04:49 GMT+10
(Photo credit: Andrew West/The News-Press/USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
The two best players in the world were the two best players on the course at the CME Group Tour Championship on Friday.
Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul fired a 9-under-par 63 to vault into a three-stroke lead at the LPGA's season finale at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Fla. And Nelly Korda made a charge with an 8-under 64 to move into a tie for fifth, within shouting distance of Thitikul at the midpoint of the tournament.
World No. 1 Thitikul still has a healthy cushion at 14-under 130. Sei Young Kim of South Korea is alone in second at 11 under after shooting 66 on Friday. Japan's Nasa Hataoka (67) and first-round leader Somi Lee of South Korea (70) are tied at 10 under.
And Korda has company at 9 under: Australia's Minjee Lee, Canadian Brooke M. Henderson and Thailand's Pajaree Anannarukarn all shot 67 to join that tie.
On the line is an $11 million prize purse with a $4 million check for the winner, one of the most lucrative paydays in women's golf.
Thitikul won that prize last season and is vying to become the second woman to win this tournament back to back (Jin-young Ko of South Korea did so in 2020 and 2021).
'Still had no complaint with like a bogey-free and then nine birdies, so I'll take it,' Thitikul quipped.
Thitikul won the PIF Saudi Ladies International in February, followed by the Mizuho Americas Open and the Buick LPGA Shanghai during the LPGA season. She knows what it will take to win the Tour Championship.
'As I always say, all the winners here, the score like 20-plus something (under par), which is really low-scoring,' she said. '... We just need to make more and more and more.'
Kim played with Thitikul on Friday and will do so again in the final group Saturday thanks to a late run of birdies. Kim made five birdies with a bogey in a six-hole stretch to start the back nine, then added one for good measure at the par-5 17th.
Kim noticed she was far behind Thitikul when they made the turn Friday, she said.
'I was like, 'Oh, I need something,'' Kim recalled. 'Yeah, I try to make them a lot of birdies, especially back nine. So, yeah, I got the fire back nine.'
Then there's ex-world No. 1 Korda, who has yet to win the Tour Championship and has gone all year without a victory while more recently missing some time to heal up unspecified injuries.
On Friday, Korda holed nine birdies and recorded just one bogey. She felt she played better Thursday than her round of 71 showed, but she was rewarded Friday.
'It's definitely great, especially after yesterday, being a little frustrated,' Korda said. 'Coming back out here this morning, you know, the conditions were great. The wind wasn't really that strong. Was able to be really aggressive after a lot of these pins and rolled some putts in.'
Other notables include Jennifer Kupcho and New Zealand's Lydia Ko at 7 under after rounds of 68; Charley Hull of England (69) at 6 under; and U.S. Women's Open winner Maja Stark of Sweden and English phenom Lottie Woad at 5 under after matching 69s.
--Field Level Media
Get a daily dose of Denmark Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Denmark Sun.
More InformationDUBLIN, Ireland: Revenue has seized more than 1 million euros worth of contraband over the past week, including 860,000 euros in tobacco...
LONDON, U.K.: Britain said it will make refugee status temporary and extend the wait for permanent settlement to 20 years, as part...
DUBLIN, Ireland: An Irish father who says the Polish State has stolen his child has been given a court date for his case, in which...
DUBLIN, Ireland: Ireland will not be seen as more favourable to asylum seekers than the UK, according to Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan....
DUBLIN, Ireland: Irish taxpayers have paid 10 million euros for air traffic control services used by U.S. military aircraft flying...
DUBAI, U.A.E.: Airbus is on the verge of scoring a breakthrough in the narrow-body market, with flydubai preparing to hand the European...
(Photo credit: Andrew West/The News-Press/USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images) The two best players in the world...
(Photo credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images) Andrew Novak seized the lead at the halfway point of the RSM Classic thanks to a second-round...
Indigenous People of Biafra founder Nnamdi Kanu has been found guilty on seven charges, including inciting attacks on security forces...
(Photo credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images) The Pittsburgh Penguins returned home from Sweden this week after splitting the NHL Global...
Brussels [Belgium], November 21 (ANI): MEA Secretary (West) Sibi George met, General Energy of the European Commission, Ditte Juul...
Sweden has criticized uneven cash injections from other bloc members, despite claims about backing Kiev for as long as it takes ...
