2025 Buick Lpga Shanghai set off for a rocky start after pictures of heat -purified greens on the surface on Wednesday. But Java will end on Sunday with two of the main tournaments of the tour – Minjee Lee and no. 1 Jeeno Thitikul – looking to go down to the last round at Qizhong Garden Golf Club to prevent history from transpiring.
Entering the week, the lpga had first 26 different champions All 25 events so far this season. Twenty -six unique winners in one season is a record note placed in 1995 before matching in 2018, 2022 and this year. This Mark is an impressive show of equality for the LPGA, but also leaves it without a clear year -in -year candidate player or prevailing star to attract the eyes of the eye. Nelly Korda, who won seven times in 2024, Still not entered the winner’s circle in 2025.
This brings us this week to Shanghai, where Mine Katsu of Japan enters the last round of Sunday with a two -stroke lead over Thiticul and Lee.
Katsu hit the Golf Golf Garden club, shooting an 11 sub-par 61 to take the lead. Katsu, who is still looking for her first victory in the LPGA, supported her 61 with a 68 Saturday, but looked while Thitikul and Lee appeared in her back mirror. Thitikul fired a third round 66 while Lee scored a 65 to get inside two of Katsu with 18 holes to play.
“Of course they are two of the brilliant players,” Katsu told Thiticul and Lee, who will be paired with Sunday. “I really look forward to playing with them. I’m sure there are a lot of things I can learn from them. At the same time try to keep my game – focus on my game and really looking to play with them tomorrow.”
Katsu Lead holes with two strokes in Buic Lpga Shanghai
Thitikul and Lee have already triumphed this season.
World No.1 won Mizuho Americas Open in May and recently knocked on the door of victory no. 2 in 2025. Thiticul Carto race-up-up ends in its last two beginnings on the FM Championship and Kroger Queen City Championship. Last month, thitikul with four strokes in the 72nd hole of Kroger Championship Queen City to hand over trophy Charley Hull. Those close losses have not deceived the thiticul, just sharpening her faith in themselves.
“If you said that I can do the second on any tour this year for the whole season, 30-something, I will get it,” Thiticul told her tight calls. “What I’m learning are the five victories I have in the LPGA is also the past, so I don’t keep on my shoulder. I don’t keep it in my head.”
After a 66 without Bogey on Saturday, the thiticul is once again able to become the first time winner in the LPGA this season.
“Whenever I play in Sunday quarrel, it’s really excitement and then nervous for sure,” Thitkul said “like 18 holes, 18 opportunities for everyone. Not just for me. So, I’m trying my best.
“I don’t think I’m doing anything special,” Thiticul said later. “I think it’s just golf, where it’s some of the day you play really good and some of the day you are not so decorated. I think yesterday I didn’t have a really good iron shots, so I think today I have better iron shots, which is giving me more opportunities than yesterday.”
The third part of Sunday’s equation is Lee, which won her third main career This year at the KPMG women’s PGA Championship at Fields Ranch East in Frisco, Texas. The Australian began the third round of five rhythm blows and in a tie for the eighth. It opened with a clumsy slap in the Par-5 first, but then heated hot over a 10-holes that saw it made eight birds, including five in a row. 7-11.
In June at Fields Ranch East, Lee survived the swinging temperatures to withdraw from the weekend thiticul to win its third third.
Sunday in Shanghai will be a similar story, with two katsu’s two strokes that serve as an increased wrinkle.
They will be Lee and Thiticul at flame temperatures that are expected to be in the mid -1990s. They will be two of the best of the LPGA trying to put an end to a historical parish. And there will be Minam Katsu, seeking to become the 27th winner at the LPGA this season and will enter the winner’s circle for the first time in her career.
“>>
