Jeeno stays cool in sweltering Texas

THAI STAR EXTENDS LEAD AT WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

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Jeeno Thitikul closed with back-to-back birdies in a two-under par 70 on Friday to stretch her lead to three strokes as sweltering heat and high winds again tested golfers at the Women’s PGA Championship in Texas.

Jeeno, the world No.2 from Thailand, started the day with a one-shot lead over Australia’s Minjee Lee at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco north of Dallas.

She teed off on the 10th hole and after a bogey at 12 was back in control with birdies at the 15th and third.

She gave a stroke back at the par-three fourth, where she missed the green, but rolled in a 12-foot birdie at the eighth and a four-footer at the ninth to finish 36 holes on six-under 138.

“The wind and the rough,” the 22-year-old said of the toughest challenges on a day when only 14 players broke par.