Seoul: South Korea’s Ko Jin-Young fired a flawless six-under-par 66 to take a two-shot lead after the third round at the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship on Saturday.
Ko, who is perhaps best known for her runner-up spot at the Women’s British Open in 2015, chalked up six birdies including two in her last three holes to end a sunny and breezy day in Incheon, South Korea on a 15-under 201.
“My iron shots today were really strong so I was able to make a lot of birdie chances for myself,” said Ko, a nine-time winner on the local KLPGA Tour.
“Although I’m in the lead, and I’m leading by two strokes, there are a lot great players out there in the field. “Tomorrow I would have to really focus and concentrate. At the same time, I haven’t seen some of those players for a while so it will be a lot of fun to play with them”, she said.
World number two Park Sung-Hyun of South Korea carded a third-round 68 to finish at 13-under, falling two strokes behind the leader.
She ended the day level with her compatriot and world number seven Chun In-Gee, who also returned a 68 on Saturday on the par-72 Ocean Course at the SKY72 Golf & Resort.
Park, hunting her third LPGA Tour victory of the year at the co-sanctioned event, scored five birdies and a sole bogey in her first 17 holes and salvaged a par at the last after pushing her drive way right into a hazard and having to take a penalty drop.
“The last hole will be etched in my memory for quite some time,” said Park.
Brooke Henderson of Canada, who won a five-stroke victory at the New Zealand Women’s Open earlier this month, carded a bogey-free 68 to end the day in a tie for eighth, five strokes off the lead. — AFP
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