THE WOODLANDS, Texas — Haeran Ryu capped a front-nine run within the Chevron Championship with a chip-in birdie on the ninth gap, then held on in tough wind circumstances Saturday for a share of the third-round lead with Mao Saigo.
On a gusty, sunny day at The Membership at Carlton Woods within the first girls’s main event of the yr, Ryu parred the ultimate 9 holes for a 4-under 68. Saigo adopted with 69 to match Ryu at 9-under 207.
“The again 9 was so difficult for me as a result of the wind began somewhat extra stronger and the pin positions had been so robust,” Ryu mentioned. “And my putter — virtually within the gap however all the time go subsequent to the outlet after which make some straightforward pars. However, yeah, it was so arduous right this moment.”
Ryu opened with a 65 on Thursday for share of the lead with Yan Liu, then shot a 74 to fall two strokes again. On Saturday, after a bogey on the third gap, she birdied No. 4 and ran off 4 straight on Nos. 6-9. The 24-year-old South Korean participant has two LPGA Tour victories.
Saigo is winless on the LPGA Tour. The 23-year-old Japanese participant was the tour’s rookie of the yr final season. She parred the final 5 holes after chipping in for birdie on the par-5 thirteenth to get to 9 beneath.
“I simply must give attention to my golf recreation, simply one after the other,” Saigo mentioned. “And never solely golf recreation, however attempt to management my psychological, too.”
Saigo parred the final 5 holes after chipping in for birdie on the par-5 thirteenth to get to 9 beneath. She additionally chipped in for birdie on No. 6.
“The course situation was fairly arduous right here right this moment, so it was fairly troublesome to make birdies, so I form of struggled,” Saigo mentioned. “Two of them had been chip-in birdies from outdoors, so I used to be fairly fortunate.”
Lindy Duncan was a stroke again after a 70. Fellow American Sarah Schmelzel had a 71 to hitch Liu (72) at 7 beneath.
“That is the largest stage for us,” mentioned Duncan, searching for her first LPGA Tour victory at age 34. “The hardest programs, the hardest checks and probably the most stress, so yeah, simply bought to go on the market and simply play your recreation.”
Liu, the Chinese language participant who took a one-shot edge into the weekend, dropped out of a three-way tie for the lead with a double bogey on the par-3 seventeenth.
Taking part in into the wind on the 144-yard gap, she hit quick right into a bunker, then left her second in a clumsy place in thick tough above the bunker. She chipped 20 toes previous and two-putted.
Lexi Thompson topped the group at 6 beneath after a 70. The 30-year-old Florida participant retired from full-time play on the finish of final season. She received the 2014 occasion — then the Kraft Nabisco Championship — at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, California.
“I am wanting ahead to tomorrow and seeing what I can carry,” Thompson mentioned.
High-ranked Nelly Korda was tied for thirty first at even par in her title protection. She had consecutive double bogeys on her second 9 in a 71. Winless this season, she received final yr for the final of her record-tying 5 straight victories.
