Jeeno Thitikul extends lead at Women s PGA Championship

HOUSTON – Jeeno Thitikul closed with back-to-back birdies in a two-under 70 on June 20 to stretch her lead to three strokes, as sweltering heat and high winds again tested golfers at the Women’s PGA Championship.

Jeeno, the world No. 2 from Thailand, started the day with a one-shot lead over Australia’s Minjee Lee at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco north of Dallas.

She teed off on the 10th hole and after a bogey at 12 was back in control with birdies at the 15th and third.

She gave a stroke back at the par-three fourth, where she missed the green, but rolled in a 12-foot birdie at the eighth and a four-footer at the ninth to finish 36 holes on six-under 138.

“The wind and the rough,” the 22-year-old said of the toughest challenges on a day when only 14 players broke par.

The 22-year-old, who has won already this year on both the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour, is chasing her first Major title.

She was three strokes clear of Lee and Japan’s Rio Takeda.

Jeeno said she actually played better than she had in posting a 68 in the opening round.

“I had better tee shots than yesterday and put myself in the positions that I have a chance,” she said. “If not, I just tried to make par. I think par, it’s a really big key here – no birdies but 18 pars, you take it.”

Lee, who started the day one adrift, had three birdies and three bogeys in her even par 72.

Takeda teed off on 10 and had all four of her birdies on her second nine – three in a row at the fourth, fifth and sixth and an up and down from a bunker at the ninth in