The HSBC Women’s World Championship at the Tanjong Course in Sentosa, Singapore, is shaping up to be the most thrilling tournament of the 2025 LPGA season thus far.
Defending AIG Women’s Open champion Lydia Ko is at 10-under par, leading Charley Hull by one shot at the 54-hole mark. Ko fired a 4-under 68 on Saturday, a round that featured seven birdies and three bogies.
“It was a little bit more streaky than [Friday]. Coming off the bogey-free round, I think the mindset is to try to continue that. I made a few mistakes but I was able to bounce back with a few good birdies as well,” Ko said.
“It really doesn’t matter what the context is, as long as you can put a good score, and under the circumstances, I felt like I am playing really solid. So hopefully these past few days will give me good rhythm for tomorrow.”
So far this season, Ko finished solo sixth at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions and tied for 48th the following week at the Founders Cup. But the current World No. 3 has 22 career wins and knows how to get the job done.
“I can just only really focus on my game,” Ko explained.
“The scores haven’t been quite as low this year, and it’s not easy. You just have to play smart around this golf course. I think I’ve been doing that fairly well. I may make a mistake here and there, but try and not get too carried away with that and just focus on the next one. I feel like I’ve been doing that fairly well these past few days, and I think that’s always going to be a big key for tomorrow.”
Ko and Hull will play in the final group but Jeeno Thitikul and Minjee Lee lurk not too far behind. Thitikul is 7-under while Lee is 6-under, tied with Pajaree Anannarukarn and HGV Tournament of Champions winner A Lim Kim.
“I don’t think I’m going to put any added pressure on myself. Obviously try to get off to a really hot start. I think it’s the type of golf course where you can’t really hit them like super tight. So I feel like if you’re putting from mid ranges on, you’re going to have a really great chance,” Lee said when asked about what she has to do on Sunday.
“Yeah, I just feel like you’ve got to play the wind well, and I think starting the round today, I didn’t have as much wind. So that was nice. But not sure what the conditions are meant to be like tomorrow. But I assume it’s similar.”
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Follow him on X @jack_milko.
