Ko leading after third round
Lydia Ko is the outright leader after the third round at the LPGA Mediheal Championship as she chases her first win since July 2016.
Ko has a one-shot lead at 11-under on the back of a fiveunder round of 67 for her third round at the Lake Merced Golf Club in California yesterday.
That included a number of clutch bunker shots and putts, including chipping in superbly from the sand at the par-four 11th hole.
Consecutive birdies on 15 and 16 placed her one stroke ahead of American Jessica Korda, who was playing in the group behind her. Australian Minjee Lee is third at eight-under.
Those two birdies both took great bits of skill and touch. On the 15th she managed a terrific up and down over two bunkers, while at 16 she rolled in a putt which just about broke at a right angle.
She almost rolled in one last birdie with a long putt on the parfive 18th, but it went just wide of the hole.
Earlier, Ko’s day started very well when draining an six-metre putt for birdie on the first hole. She had a similar distance putt for birdie at the 6th before finishing her blemish-free front nine with a third birdie. Her only bogey of the round came at the par-four 10th hole.
Ko told the Golf Channel afterwards she rode her luck a bit, but was due a turnaround in fortunes.
‘‘Sometimes getting that friendly bounce or where you hit a tree and it comes out on the fair- way, you take those.
‘‘I felt like I haven’t been having the greatest luck at a few events, so it was nice to hit a tree and still be able to play and to hole out with that bunker shot – I know I hit a good shot, but sometimes those lip out or hit the pin and come out, so for it to have gone in I know there was luck involved in that.’’
Korda was the overnight leader at nine-under, but managed just a one-under round of 71 yesterday.
The Kiwi will take her lead into this morning’s final round, teeing off about 8.30am, with Sky Sports’ coverage listed to start at 10am.
‘‘I know I’ve got to stay focused and keep having fun,’’ Ko said. ‘‘If it [winning] happens, it’s great, but the most important thing for me is to stay positive because there is still a lot of golf to be played.’’
Ko, who celebrated her 21st birthday last Monday, is chasing her first title since her Marathon Classic win in July 2016. At that tournament she came from behind in the final round, with her last 54-hole lead at the US Open early that month.
She will go for victory on one of her favourite courses, where she is currently a member. She has won twice at Lake Merced before in 2014 and 2015 when the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic used to be held there.
‘‘I love San Francisco and I’m a member here so sometimes I get some friendly member bounces too. It brings back a lot of good memories for me. Coming into the week I knew no matter how I played I was going to have a good time.’’