Chun In-gee fired a six-under 65 on Saturday to grab a share of the lead alongside Lexi Thompson heading into the final round of the Meijer LPGA Classic at Blythefield Country Club. The 21-year-old US Women’s Open champion from South Korea produced a flawless third round, including six birdies and 12 pars to move to 15-under through 54 holes at the Grand Rapids course.
Overnight leader Thompson was similarly solid, carding five birdies and no bogeys on her way to a five-under 66.
Kim Sei-young was a shot off the lead on 14-under after matching her compatriot Chun’s six-under 65.
Photo: AFP
Spain’s Carlota Ciganda was two off the lead after a 66, which could have been better had it not been for a bogey on the par-four 13th, which blemished an otherwise faultless round.
Min Lee was tied for 53rd place on two-under after a 71, while fellow Taiwanese Hsu Wei-ling was propping up the leaderboard on five-over after carding a 77.
Thompson, the defending Meijer Classic champion, clearly regards Blythefield as a home away from home. In her past seven rounds on the course, she is 33-under.
“I just hit a lot of drivers and if my game is on, it comes together,” she said. “It is just a nice setting and atmosphere — it is one of our best tournaments.”
Chun, who has not won a tournament since her breakthrough major victory at the US Women’s Open last year, was likely to be hoping for a repeat of her solid iron play and putting in yesterday’s final round.
Elsewhere on Saturday, world No. 1 Lydia Ko of New Zealand reeled off four consecutive birdies on the back nine on her way to a four-under 67 to remain in the hunt.
Ko was four off the lead on 11-under, tied for sixth place with Lin Xi-yu of China, who also carded a 67.
Amy Yang and Amelia Lewis fired 69 and were a further shot back, tied for eighth with Ryu So-yeon.
Canadian youngster Brooke Henderson, who won the Women’s PGA Championship last weekend for her maiden major, saw her challenge falter with a one-over 72. Henderson was tied for 21st, nine shots off the pace.
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