The CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida, saw an intense battle on Saturday as Angel Yin and Jeeno Thitikul shared the lead going into the final round. With a whopping $4 million on the line, both players delivered stellar performances to put themselves in contention for the top prize.
Yin showcased her putting skills by sinking long putts and even chipping in for eagle on the par-5 sixth hole. She maintained a comfortable lead with birdies on the eighth, ninth, and 12th holes, finishing with a solid 69 for the day.
Thitikul, on the other hand, seemed to struggle initially with three consecutive bogeys on the back nine. However, she quickly turned things around with an eagle on the 17th and a birdie on the closing hole to tie with Yin at 15-under 201.
Ruoning Yin also made a late surge with birdies on the final two holes to finish at 12-under 204, just three shots behind the leaders. Charley Hull and Narin An of South Korea were tied at 11-under 205, still within striking distance of the top spot.
Nelly Korda, who has had a remarkable season with seven LPGA titles, faced an uphill battle after a 69 on Saturday. With a six-shot deficit going into the final round, Korda will need to mount a comeback to secure the $4 million prize.
Thitikul, who already won a $1 million bonus through the Aon Risk-Reward Challenge, could potentially walk away with a total of $5 million if she clinches the championship. Despite her success, Thitikul remains humble, stating that any additional winnings would simply go towards her love for shopping.
See also Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s tough Bronx persona is under fresh scrutiny with a resurfaced childhood nickname from her suburban upstate New York upbringing casting doubt on that publicly portrayed image. The progressive champion’s latest spat with President Donald Trump over the Iran strikes again called into question her true upbringing when she declared on X she was a “Bronx girl" to make her a point against the president. The 35-year-old congresswoman wrote in part on X: "I’m a Bronx girl. You should know that we can eat Queens boys for breakfast. Respectfully," she said, referring to the president’s upbringing in Queens as she called for his impeachment over his decision to bypass Congress in authorizing U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx but moved to Yorktown – which is nearly an hour outside New York City -- when she was 5 years old and went on to attend Yorktown High School where she graduated in 2007. She was considered an accomplished student there and well thought of by teacher Michael Blueglass, according to a 2018 report by local media outlet Halston Media News. “There, known by students and staff as ‘Sandy,’ she was a member of the Science Research Program taught by Michael Blueglass," the report states. “She was amazing," Blueglass said, per the report. “Aside from her winning one of the top spots and going to the [Intel International Science and Engineering Fair], she was just one of the most amazing presenters in all of the years I've been at Yorktown. Her ability to take complex information and explain it to all different levels of people was fantastic." After high school, Ocasio-Cortez attended Boston University, where she majored in economics and international relations, per the report. Ocasio-Cortez’s “Sandy" nickname — which carries a more suburban and preppy tone — appears to undercut her politically crafted image as a tough, inner-city fighter, one she has portrayed since her famous 2018 congressional campaign where she eventually ousted former 10-terms Congressman Joe Crowley. New York GOP Assemblyman Matt Slater, who now represents Yorktown, added to the scrutiny of Ocasio-Cortez’s persona in the wake of her brash with Trump and released images of Ocasio-Cortez from his high school yearbook. He claimed he and the rising Democratic star attended Yorktown High School at the same time when she was a freshman and he was a senior. "I saw the attacks on the president and her [Ocasio-Cortez] claims that she's a big, tough Bronx girl," said Slater. "To sit there and say that she’s a Bronx girl is just patently ridiculous." "Everybody in our community knows this is just a bold-face lie," said Slater on "Fox & Friends First" last week. "She grew up in Yorktown, she was on my track team." "She's lying about her background, she's lying about her upbringing," Slater claimed. Slater’s post sent social media ablaze and prompted Ocasio-Cortez to respond after an image if her family’s home was posted online. “I’m proud of how I grew up and talk about it all the time," Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X Friday responding to the post. “My mom cleaned houses and I helped. We cleaned tutors’ homes in exchange for SAT prep." “Growing up between the Bronx and Yorktown deeply shaped my views of inequality & it’s a big reason I believe the things I do today!"
Yin’s performance was highlighted by her ability to save pars after errant drives, showcasing her resilience on the course. Despite a few mistakes, Yin remained positive and focused on her scoring throughout the round.
As the tournament heads into the final day, the competition is heating up with the richest payoff in women’s golf up for grabs. Fans can expect an exciting finish as the players battle it out for the prestigious title and the lucrative prize money.
