Stephanie Meadow shot a second successive one-under 71 at Hoakalei Country Club in Hawaii, and the Jordanstown woman lies tied for 56th as Jeeno Thitikul opened a three-stroke advantage.
With Leona Maguire and Lauren Walsh both missing the cut, Meadow was the only Irish woman to make it through to the weekend and on another windy day on Oahu, three birdies over her first 10 holes got her to -6 and inside the early top 25 before a run of three bogeys in five holes – with a birdie in between – saw her slip back to -4.
Second-ranked Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand took a three-stroke lead in a bid for her fourth LPGA Tour victory of the season.
“It’s not a course that you just sit down and hope for everyone not catching you,” Thitikul said. “You have to go far away from them, too.”
After dropping a shot on the par-4 seventh with her first bogey of the week, Thitikul had three straight birdies to start the back nine and reaffirm her grip on proceedings.
The 23-year-old Thitikul parred the next four holes, then birdied the par-4 17th and par-5 18th to card a five-under 67 that took her to -17 and into a three-stroke lead.
“I think the wind kind of less than what I expected to be,” Thitikul said. “That’s why it’s kind of easier for us. I think my irons pretty good the past few days. Hopefully, tomorrow going to be like this, too.”
Polly Mack, tied for the second-round lead with Thitikul, had a 70 to join Ina Yoon at 14-under in a tie for second.
“I’m just looking forward to a great Sunday, good momentum,” Mack said. “I know I have it in me to just put on a good show out there.”
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