Thitikul Takes Lead in Mizuho Americas Open After Strong Round

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — At the Mizuho Americas Open on Saturday, Inbee Park handled strong winds and a double bogey by making nine birdies, finishing with a 7-under 65. This performance gave her a one-shot lead going into the final round.

Defending champion Nelly Korda missed birdie opportunities and settled for a 68, leaving her two shots behind as she chases her first win of the year. With winds strong enough to bend flagsticks, the LPGA Tour moved up several tees, allowing players to position themselves for a closing push.

Thitikul, currently ranked No. 2 in women’s golf, took advantage of the course’s challenges. She birdied the reachable par-4 16th hole and the 17th, finishing the day at 14-under 202. “The strategies for today, I’m just trying to keep it on the fairway and then on the green,” Thitikul said. “I know it’s going to be really tough, and I have to be patient out there.”

Meanwhile, Celine Boutier made a remarkable 40-foot birdie putt on the 15th, paving the way for three consecutive birdies. Her final score of 66 put her just one shot behind. “It was a nice setup today,” Boutier said. “I feel like it was challenging with the wind, but the setup made it possible to have some chances if you were hitting good.”

Korda rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt from just off the green at the par-3 14th but faced challenges on the 16th with a difficult angle to chip. She managed to birdie the 17th with a precise wedge shot. “You just have to dial in to a small target and you have to be focused 100 percent on each shot,” Korda said.

Thitikul’s day included four birdies on the front nine despite a double bogey on the sixth hole. She quickly recovered with two birdies and kept her lead going into the final stretch of the tournament.

Starting times will be earlier on Sunday to accommodate network television coverage, with CBS scheduled for a 3 p.m. finish. Boutier noted that lighter winds might present a different set of challenges for the competitors. “It’s supposed to be a bit less windy. I’m assuming the scores are going to be kind of low too,” she said. “We’ll see what happens, but happy to be in this position.”