Chevron Championship: Atthaya Thitikul holds narrow lead over Nelly Korda as storms stop play

Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul held a narrow advantage over the history-chasing Nelly Korda when round three of the LPGA Chevron Championship was halted because of storms in Texas.

Atthaya, the overnight co-leader, is 11 under after 12 holes of her round.

World number one Korda has a four-foot par putt at the 12th when play at the year’s first major resumes on Sunday.

The 25-year-old is bidding to equal the LPGA record of five victories in five consecutive starts.

Success would see her join Nancy Lopez (1978) and Annika Sorenstam (2005) as the only players to achieve the feat.

Korda shares second place with Canada’s Brooke Henderson who had seven birdies and an eagle in her first 14 holes before dropping a shot at the 16th.

Joint overnight leader Im Jin Hee of South Korea is on nine under through 11 holes.

Jodi Ewart Shadoff leads the British contingent on five under, while English amateur Lottie Woad, who won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur earlier this month, is a shot further back alongside Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh.

Atthaya is playing her first tournament of the year after recovering from a thumb injury but the 21-year-old says she is not fazed by the challenge of an extended day on Sunday.

“I think it’s not that big deal,” she said. “I think last year in a Malaysia I played more than this in one day with the play-off, 27 holes, which is fine. Still young now – still good.”