The two best players in the world were the two best players on the course at the CME Group Tour Championship on Friday.
Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul fired a 9-under-par 63 to vault into a three-stroke lead at the LPGA's season finale at Tiburon Golf Club. Nelly Korda made a charge with an 8-under 64 to move into a tie for fifth, within shouting distance of Thitikul at the midpoint of the tournament.
Ireland's Leona Maguire is well out of contention however after a round of 75 left her on +1 and well off the pace. Maguire hit four bogeys and a double bogey although three birdies did help to undo some of the damage.
Thitikul still has a healthy cushion at 14-under 130. Sei Young Kim of South Korea is alone in second at 11 under after shooting 66 on Friday. Japan's Nasa Hataoka (67) and first-round leader Somi Lee of South Korea (70) are tied at 10 under.
Korda has company at 9 under: Australia's Minjee Lee, Canadian Brooke M. Henderson and Thailand's Pajaree Anannarukarn all shot 67 to join that tie.
On the line is an $11 million prize purse with a $4 million check for the winner, one of the most lucrative paydays in women's golf.
Thitikul won that prize last season and is vying to become the second woman to win this tournament back to back (Jin-young Ko of South Korea did so in 2020 and 2021).
"Still had no complaint with like a bogey-free and then nine birdies, so I'll take it," Thitikul quipped.
Thitikul won the PIF Saudi Ladies International in February, followed by the Mizuho Americas Open and the Buick LPGA Shanghai during the LPGA season. She knows what it will take to win the Tour Championship.
"As I always say, all the winners here, the score like 20-plus something(under par), which is really low-scoring," she said. "... We just need to make more and more and more."
Kim played with Thitikul on Friday and will do so again in the final group Saturday thanks to a late run of birdies. Kim made five birdies with a bogey in a six-hole stretch to start the back nine, then added one for good measure at the par-5 17th.
Other notables include Jennifer Kupcho and New Zealand's Lydia Ko at 7 under after rounds of 68; Charley Hull of England (69) at 6 under; and US Women's Open winner Maja Stark of Sweden and English phenom Lottie Woad at 5 under after matching 69s.
