Pettersen one to beat at Manulife Classic
CAMBRIDGE, ONT.— Suzann Pettersen holds a slim one-stroke lead over Mariajo Uribe heading into the final round of the Manulife LPGA Classic at Whistle Bear Golf Club.
Tied with Uribe after two rounds, Pettersen jumped ahead early on Saturday with three birdies in the first three holes on the way to a round of 6-under par 66 for a threeround score of 19-under par.
Pettersen liked the way she started the day, but with just one birdie on the back nine holes, she felt that she left some shots on the course.
“I don’t know if I felt like I played that well today,” Pettersen said. “I kind of dried up a little bit towards the end. I had one good par save on the back nine on the par 3. Overall very happy, in a good position, but there’s a good job to be done tomorrow.”
Uribe tried to match her shot-for-shot, shaking off the two-stroke lead Pettersen held after nine holes and climbed to one shot back at 18-under par. Cristie Kerr’s birdie on the 18th hole put her in sole possession of third place at 17-under par.
Pettersen, from Norway, has history on her side. She’s won the last four tournaments she’s led or was coleader after 36 holes. Winning the Manulife Classic would mark her first victory on the LPGA Tour since the Sunrise Taiwan LPGA Championship in October 2013.
Hamilton’s Alena Sharp could have the best-ever finish by a Canadian at the Manulife Classic, carding 4-under par on the day for a three-round total of 11-under par and sits in a seven-way tie for 15th place. She holds the previous best mark, carding 11-under in 2013 for a share of 30th place.
Sharp is also looking for her first top 10 finish on the LPGA Tour since 2010, when she was tied for 10th at the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic.