Australian Lindsey Wright, seeking her first LPGA title, fired a seven-under 64 on Saturday to share the lead with US veteran Cristie Kerr at the US$2.2 million Michelob Ultra Open.
Wright, coming off a fourth-place finish at the LPGA Kraft Nabisco in the first women’s major of the season, fired a bogey-free round to stand on 15-under par 198 after 54 holes at Kingsmill.
South Korea’s Kim In-kyung was third on 199, one stroke ahead of compatriot Kim Song-hee with world No. 1 Lorena Ochoa of Mexico and Americans Wendy Ward and Natalie Gulbis sharing fifth on 203.
Ochoa, who led by three when the day began in quest of her first Kingsmill crown, soared to a 74.
Taiwan’s Yani Tseng was tied for 13th on 207 and compatriot Teresa Lu was tied for 20th on 208.
■PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP
REUTERS, PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA
Players Championship leader Alex Cejka of Germany made two bogeys in his opening nine holes as he slipped to 10 under par, while world No. 1 Tiger Woods started to move up the leaderboard.
Cejka birdied the fifth at TPC Sawgrass but then dropped shots at the seventh and ninth.
Britain’s Ian Poulter, who was in second place overnight, also bogeyed the ninth hole when he, like Cejka, missed a straightforward putt.
American Kevin Na was nine-under par after producing three birdies and a bogey on his opening nine.
Woods got himself in trouble on the 11th where he had to play left-handed out of the trees and made a bogey but he finished strongly with birdies on the 16th and 17th to leave himself just four shots off the lead.
■ITALIAN OPEN
AFP, TURIN, ITALY
Argentina’s Daniel Vancsik will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Italian Open. The 32-year-old goes into the final round 11 under par, one in front of Finland’s Roope Kakko.
Two behind in joint-third are Northern Ireland’s Gareth Maybin and South African Thomas Aiken.
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