Taiwan’s Min Lee on Saturday capped a stellar outing by rolling in a 15-foot putt for a birdie on 18 to grab a two-shot lead heading into the final round of the LPGA Mediheal Championship.
Lee birdied three of her final four holes, including the par-five 18th, for a four-under-par 68 and a total of nine-under 207.
“I just tried to play my game and tried to be smart on the golf course, because the golf course is very hard,” Lee said. “There are some pin placement that you want to be on the fat side of the green if you miss it.”
Photo: AFP
The 26-year-old Lee also made birdie on the par-three 17th hole and the par-five 15th at the Lake Merced Golf Club outside San Francisco.
Lee is trying to win for the first time on the LPGA Tour. She won the Mission Inn Resort and Club Championship two weeks ago in Florida on the developmental Symetra Tour with an eight-under-par 211, putting her in position to become the first player to follow a Symetra Tour victory with an LPGA Tour win in her next start.
“I don’t really thinking about making a record or breaking a record or something,” Lee said. “I just try to play my game. I play well, that’s good and everything comes together.”
Fellow Taiwanese Hsu Wei-ling, who won the Pure Silk Championship last month, was tied at 39th place with a one-over 217. She had birdies on the fourth, seventh and 18th holes, but shot bogeys on the fifth, eighth, 13th, 15th and 16th, leaving her with a two-over 74 in the third round.
Finland’s Matilda Castren, who shot a 69, and Lauren Kim (71), are tied for second.
The 26-year old Kim has exceeded her expectations coming into the week.
“Oh, gosh, probably pretty nervous,” she said after being asked what to expect in the final round. “I never played in the final group on Sunday and am just going to enjoy it as much as I can. Coming into this week I was just trying to shoot under par every day, and I’ve done just that. So hopefully I can get another one tomorrow.”
Additional reporting by staff writer, with AP
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