Daily Times

Atthaya “Jeeno” Thitikul birdied three of her last four holes on Friday to take a one-shot lead over another former world number one, Lydia Ko, at the US LPGA Queen City Championship in Ohio.

Thailand’s Jeeno, who announced last month she preferred to be known by her longtime nickname, had seven birdies in her second straight six-under par 66 at TPC River’s Bend, which is hosting the event near Cincinnati for the first time. New Zealand’s Ko, who followed up Olympic gold in Paris with a victory in the Women’s British Open last month, had an eagle and four birdies in her six-under round.

Ko had set the early target, but Jeeno squeezed past with a birdie at her final hole, the ninth — one of the toughest on the course. “You have water on the front, and then if you go long it’s going to be in the rough and a downhill lie,” Jeeno noted.

“But just commit to the shot,” she added. “I had pitching wedge, so it’s kind of easier than the practice round when I had, like seven- or eight-iron.” The Thai made a belated start to the season after battling a thumb injury but teamed with Yin Ruoning to win a third LPGA title in June in the Dow Championship pairs event. She started the day one stroke off South African Ashleigh Buhai’s lead and picked up four birdies in her first nine. After a bogey at the 10th she added birdies at the par-five sixth and eighth before her final flourish.