Chella Choi part of 3-way for lead on LPGA Tour with Korda 3 shots behind

CINCINNATI (AP) — Chella Choi bogeyed her final two holes Thursday that blemished an otherwise flawless round, giving her a 4-under 66 to fall into a three-way share of the lead with Rio Takeda and Ina Yoon in the Kroger Queen City Championship.

Nelly Korda had 15 pars in her round of 1-under 69 in her bid to win a third straight tournament. Korda won The Chevron Championship for her third major and the following week in Mexico before taking off last week.

Jeeno Thitikul, who won last week in the Mizuho Americas Open, and Maude-Aimée LeBlanc, of Sherbrooke, Que., also had a 69. It was the same score as Korda achieved far differently.

Korda had two birdies against one bogey at Maketewah Country Club, in its first year hosting the LPGA Tour event. Thitikul had only five pars — seven birdies and six bogeys.

Choi was at 6 under until her foot slipped on a shot at No. 8, leading to her first bogey. She failed to get up-and-down from a bunker on the long par-3 ninth, her final hole.

“Super hard golf course,” Choi said. “Fairways very narrow and the green is … green in not flag, like so many bumps here.”

Jin Young Ko and Lilia Vu, both with multiple majors in their careers, were at 67. Another shot behind were Lydia Ko and Charley Hull.

Lydia Ko was in a group with Korda and Thitikul, the Nos. 1 and 2 players in the women’s world ranking.

“Somebody asked me who I was playing and I was like, ‘I’m playing with 1 and 2, and they’re almost like 1 and 1,’” Ko said. “I was thinking some part in my back nine how impressive they’ve played these last few years. I think that’s the most impressive thing.”

“Jeeno, she’s won a couple times, but she also has put herself in contention a lot in the times she didn’t win,” she added. “Nelly hasn’t finished worse than second place this year. So it was cool to be out there with them.”

Savannah Grewal, of Mississauga, Ont., had a 75 on the day.

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The Associated Press