Japan’s Haru Nomura on Saturday maintained her three-shot lead in the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic, firing a one-under-par 71 in the third round in San Francisco.
On another breezy day, Nomura had three birdies and two bogeys to build a 54-hole total of 10-under 206.
Nomura found 11 of 14 fairways as she maintained the lead she held overnight. She reached 11-under after a birdie at the 10th hole, but gave back a shot with a bogey at 12 before finishing with six consecutive pars.
Nomura’s day did include a tense moment over a possible rules infraction, after a viewer notified officials she might have “built a stance” in a greenside bunker on the sixth hole.
After a discussion between the rules committee, Nomura and her caddie, it was determined that no breach had occurred.
South Africa’s Lee-Anne Pace and South Korean Choi Na-yeon shared second on 209 and Choi signing for a 71.
The last time she led entering the final round she went on to win the Women’s Australian Open in February — beating world No. 1 Lydia Ko by three shots for a first LPGA title.
Two-time defending champion Ko was unable to make a move, carding a one-over 73 to finish the day tied for eighth at four-under 212 with Australian Minjee Lee (74).
Kaohsiung-born Candie Kung was tied for 29th on two-over after a 74, while Taiwan’s Cheng Ssu-chia was two shots further back, also after a 74. Taiwan’s Lin Tzu-chi, Min Lee and Hsu Wei-ling were in a group on five-over, while Taiwanese amateur Chang Ya-chun was a further three shots back.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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