Atthaya "Jeeno" Thitikul surged ahead at the US LPGA Queen City Championship in Ohio, securing a one-shot lead over former world No. 1 Lydia Ko after birdying three of her last four holes on Friday. Jeeno, who recently chose to be recognized by her nickname, achieved seven birdies in her second consecutive six-under par round of 66 at TPC River's Bend, marking the event's inaugural hosting near Cincinnati.
Lydia Ko, who claimed Olympic gold in Paris and triumphed at the Women's British Open last month, also had a strong performance, posting an eagle and four birdies to finish her round at six-under par. Although Ko initially set the pace early on, Jeeno took the lead with a birdie on the challenging ninth hole, which features water hazards and difficult lies. "You have to commit to the shot," Jeeno explained, noting that using a pitching wedge made the approach easier compared to the longer clubs she used in practice.
After overcoming a thumb injury that delayed her season, Jeeno had previously partnered with Yin Ruoning to win the Dow Championship pairs event in June. Starting the day one stroke behind Ashleigh Buhai, she quickly gained momentum with four birdies in her first nine holes. Despite a bogey on the 10th, she bounced back with additional birdies on the sixth and eighth holes, capping her round with a strong finish.
Lydia Ko, aiming to catch up, delivered her second consecutive bogey-free round, highlighted by an eagle on the eighth hole. Reflecting on her performance, Ko emphasized the importance of capitalizing on the course’s reachable par-fives and minimizing mistakes. South Korea's Ryu Hae-ran followed closely in third place at 10-under, thanks to a seven-under 65 featuring an eagle and six birdies. Meanwhile, Mexico’s Maria Fassi and Gaby Lopez, along with American Yealimi Noh and China's Liu Yan, shared fourth place at nine-under.
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