Saso trails Ko by 4
I just stuck to my plan, have fun and learn every day
Yuka Saso righted the ship in the back nine to keep her title bid afloat, shooting one-under par 71 to trail leader Lydia Ko by four shots going into the final round of the Lotte Championship in Oahu, Hawaii Friday.
The 19-year-old Fil-Japanese started with a three-putt bogey and watched her overnight lead disappear as Ko birdied the first hole.
She regained the lead with a birdie in 2 but her game went downhill beginning with back-to-back bogeys from 4.
She sandwiched another bogey on 8 with birdies to make the turn on one-over.
Saso did not make a bogey coming home while producing birdies on 14 and 17 to finish 54 holes on 17-under 199.
"I just stuck to my plan," she said, "have fun and learn every day."
Ko, a former world No. 1, fired seven birdies in a seven-under par 65 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead over Nelly Korda.
New Zealand's Ko, trying to end a three-year victory drought, capped her round at Kapolei Golf Club in Oahu, Hawaii, with back-to-back birdies to post a 54-hole total of 21-under 195.
I obviously didn’t go on a flying start compared to the two days before today.
Korda, who started the day five shots behind overnight leader Saso and three behind Ko, had 10 birdies in her nine-under par 63 for a 20-under total of 196.
Saso was alone in third place on 17-under 199, a stroke ahead of Ireland's Leona Maguire, buoyed by an eagle at the par-four 15th in a 65 that put her at 200.
"I obviously didn't go on a flying start compared to the two days before today," said Ko, who nevertheless found herself tied for the lead after a birdie at the first, where Saso opened with a bogey.
Ko added a birdie at the seventh to make the turn two-under for the day, then grabbed back-to-back birdies at 14 and 15 before her closing brace.
"I stayed patient," said
Ko, who got up and down for birdie from a greenside bunker at the par-five 14th. She was short of the green at the par-five 17th but got up and down for birdie before rapping in a long birdie putt at the last.
"I felt like
I had a few good looks at birdies that just didn't drop," she said.
"When it's that kind of day I think you just have to be committed and do a good job with the next one and not get too carried away about what else is happening."
That what else included Korda, who had six birdies on the front nine to make the turn with a one-stroke lead.
After her lone bogey of the day, the American added four more birdies, her birdie-birdie finish briefly giving her the clubhouse lead.
"I was just really consistent off the tee, hit it really close today," Korda said. "I had a couple of tap-ins, which is nice.
"I hit every green on the front nine. I just feel really solid with the putter and my whole game."