Chasing her fifth LPGA Tour victory of the year, Ai Miyazato shot a 5-under 67 on Saturday to take a three-stroke lead into the final round of the LPGA Safeway Classic.
The Japanese was 11 under on Pumpkin Ridge’s Ghost Creek Course.
Juli Inkster was tied for second at 8 under with Kim Song-hee (64) and Choi Na-yeon (67) after an apparent 67, but the 50-year-old Hall of Famer was disqualified because she used a weighted training aid on her club to stay loose while waiting to make the turn at the 10th hole.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Miyazato has won four tournaments this season and is among five players in a tight battle for the No. 1 spot in the rankings.
Cristie Kerr is currently No. 1, followed by Miyazato, Shin Ji-yai, Suzann Pettersen and Yani Tseng of Taiwan.
About the only trouble Miyazato had was on the par-4 12th when she hit over the green from a bunker. She muffed her shot and was still in the rough — but she was able to hole it in from there to settle for a bogey.
“It went in, and it was really lucky,” she said, marveling that it wasn’t worse.
Shin and Kerr were both in contention at 7 under. Kerr won the event in 2008.
South Korea’s Oh Ji-young shot a second-round 64 to top a group of four players at 6 under. She would have had the best round of her career had she not bogeyed the par-4 No. 18, but overall she was pleased.
Kim also shot a second-round 64. In her past 22 tournaments, Kim has 17 top-10 finishes.
Inkster was stern-faced and left the course quickly after learning of her disqualification. Later, she issued a brief statement.
Inkster broke rule 14-3, which says that a player cannot make a stroke or practice swing using a club with a weighted doughnut or any other training device or swing aid.
LPGA director of tournament competitions Sue Witters said a viewer watching the television broadcast brought the violation to the attention of tournament officials.
Witters said officials did not become aware there was a problem until Inkster was already on the 17th hole. She was surprised when told, Witters said.
M.J. Hur, the defending champion, was at 4 over and did not make the projected cut.
Taiwanese player Teresa Lu was in a group of five on 139 after shooting 67-72, while compatriot Amy Hung was on 144 in a group of seven after shooting 68-76, and Candie Kung was also in a group of seven on 145 after shooting 73-72.
■WYNDHAM
AP, GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA
Arjun Atwal of India shot a 65 in the third round of the Wyndham Championship on Saturday, building a three-stroke lead in the USPGA Tour’s final pre-playoff event.
Atwal, who has led or shared the lead after each of the first three days at Sedgefield Country Club, moved to 17-under 193 entering the final round. Scott McCarron closed his 63 with four consecutive birdies and was at 196 with Scott Piercy (64) and Lucas Glover (67).
Will MacKenzie (65), Garrett Willis (65), David Toms (65), Justin Leonard (66), John Rollins (68) and second-round co-leader Brandt Snedeker (69) were at 197.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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