Thitikul Shines at CME Group Tour Championship
Napat Praronthnakan Thitikul showcased her talent on Saturday, carding a remarkable 5-under 67 to tie Sei Young Kim for the lead after the second round of the CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida.
Starting just one stroke behind Kim, Thitikul quickly made her mark by birdieing the first two holes and adding another on the par-5 fifth. Although she faced a setback with a bogey on the par-4 eighth, she bounced back with birdies on both the par-3 11th and par-4 14th.
Kim, who led overnight, finished her round with a score of 2-under 70. She began strong with a birdie at hole one but stumbled with bogeys at holes three and five. After making it to even par by birdieing the ninth hole, she managed additional birdies on holes eleven and seventeen but dropped another shot at fifteen.
Both players now sit tied at an impressive total of 10-under-par (134) after two rounds.
“I’m really pleased with how I played today,” Thitikul expressed. “I struck the ball well and sank some important putts. My focus is to stay present and take each shot as it comes.”
Kim echoed similar sentiments about her performance this week: “I’m hitting well and making good putts too. Patience is key for me right now as I continue through this tournament.”
The leaderboard’s top five also includes Jodi Ewart Shadoff (-9), Charley Hull (-8), and Brooke Henderson (-7).
As this championship marks the conclusion of the LPGA Tour season, it carries significant weight—the winner will walk away with a grand prize of $2 million.
Thitikul’s Performance Breakdown:
| Hole | Score | Total | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | -1 | -1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | -1 | -2 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | -3 | -5 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | -3 | -8 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 6< / td >< | -2< / td >< | -12< / td >
| ||||||||||||||||||
| 7< / td >< | -2< / td >< | -14< / dt > | ||||||||||||||||||
| 8< / dt >< | Total Score: +36 | Total Score: +36
Kims Round:
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