South Korea’s Park In-bee shot a five-under 66 to take a two-stroke lead after the third round of the inaugural Manulife Financial LPGA Classic on Saturday.
The 2008 US Women’s Open champion had a 14-under 199 total at Grey Silo. She rebounded from a bogey on the par-three 17th with a birdie on the par-five 18th.
“I hit the ball very good today,” Park said. “I hit a lot of good iron shots, and I think I played the par fives really good today. That helped me a lot. There was some more putts out there that I could have made, but I was really happy with the way I hit the ball today. Hopefully, tomorrow it will be a better putting day.”
Taiwan’s Candie Kung shot a 69 to reach four-under. Compatriots Lin Tzu-chi and Amy Hung bowed out on Friday after missing the cut.
Brittany Lang and Seo Hee-kyung shot a 67 to reach 12-under.
Lang parred the first 15 holes, then birdied Nos. 16 and 17 and made a five-foot eagle putt in 18.
“I hit some good putts and some good shots and I just couldn’t get anything going, but I stayed patient and positive and finally made the birdie on 16 and got some energy and hit a great shot into 17,” Lang said. “That was a great and even that, it’s tricky to read the greens out here. You can hit good putts and not make them, but I stayed positive and just hit two awesome shots on 18. I’m very happy with that finish.”
Anna Nordqvist was 10 under after a 67.
“I thought it was solid. I played really well yesterday afternoon, couldn’t make a putt, shot one over, so I was a little bit disappointed after yesterday,” Nordqvist said. “So, I think it kind of got me a little, you know, a little momentum coming into today. It was solid. I hit a lot of greens, took advantage of the par fives and I think that’s the keys on this course.”
China’s Feng Shanshan, coming off a major victory two weeks ago in the LPGA Championship, was nine-under along with Karin Sjodin, Nicole Hage and first-round leader Sandra Changkija. Feng had a 70, Sjodin shot 69, Hage 67 and Changkija 69. Stacy Lewis, a two-time winner this year, had a 69 to top the group at eight-under.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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