Taiwan's Candie Kung slipped as Sweden's Carin Koch rolled to a 68 at the Women's British Open on Saturday to tie for the lead with Jenny Rosales of the Philippines.
Lurking just three strokes back, however, on a leaderboard packed with rookies and youngsters with a handful of tournament victories is Karrie Webb, winner of five majors and a two-time champion of this particular event.
``Obviously I'd like to be leading but three shots isn't too far behind on this golf course,'' the Australian said. If we could get a bit of wind up tomorrow it definitely could go any way.''
Koch acknowledges that Webb is the biggest danger.
``Karrie is just such a consistent player,'' the Swede said. ``She's won majors before which a lot of us haven't. And that's very much an advantage for her.''
Kaohsiung-born Kung, who equaled the course record with 65 in the first round, carded her second 71 to fall back into fifth place in the standings.
The 21-year-old Taiwan player, who is based in California, is making her first appearance at the championship and is an LPGA rookie.
Rosales, who is based in the US and has been on the LPGA tour for two years, made a 7-under 65 to move to 12 under 204 and appeared to going into the final round as leader before Koch came to the last.
The Swede had led all day but had dropped a shot at 17 and she made that up by confidently slotting in a 30-foot putt.
Two strokes behind them on 10-under come Spain's Paula Marti and 19-year-old LPGA rookie Natalie Gulbis, who had a 67.
Among a cluster of five players on 9 under lies the player with all the experience of winning majors and also two previous British Opens before it became one.
The Aussie, who carded a 2-under round of 70, also has 11 come-from-behind career victories, all from two strokes or more.
At age 27, Webb is aiming to become the first player in 38 years to win majors four years in a row.
If Webb wins the championship for the third time she will be the first since Hall of Famer Mickey Wright to have won majors four years in a row. Wright actually achieved that feat twice between 1957 to 1964.
Starting her third round at 7-under under sunny skies and in comparatively windless conditions at Turnberry, the Australian began with a bogey five. But she birdied three and six to reach the turn 8 under.
On the inwood nine she had one birdie and eight pars.
``It was still a pretty solid round,'' she said. ``A couple of putts had dropped I would only have been one shot behind.
Tied for fifth with Webb, Australia's Michelle Ellis -- who had a 68 -- and two rookies on the LPGA tour, Beth Bauer and halfway leader Candie Kung.
Behind them come six players tied on eight under so that 15 -- covered by eight strokes -- are in realistic contention for the title.
``The quality of talent up there is not surprising,'' Webb said. ``Even though they're inexperienced, the course hasn't bared its teeth yet. It could still be the exact same leaderboard even if it had. The names that are out there you will probably see for a long time.''
Winner of her last two events on the LPGA tour and runner up in this championship last year, Kim Mi-hyun limped around the Turnberry links for a 3-over 75 suffering from severe cramp in her foot, which seemed to ge worse.
At 3-over 219 and 15 behind the leaders, it doesn't look like she'll make it three in a row and winner of her first major.
RSS