Lydia Ko (-2) Leads Tight Leaderboard After Three Rounds of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
Lydia Ko fired a one-under-par 70 on Saturday, building a one-stroke lead in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Washington. Fifteen players are within four shots of Ko, including the following major champions: Brittany Lincicome (T-2, -1); Anna Nordqvist (T-4, Even); Suzann Pettersen (T-10, +1); Catriona Matthew (T-10, +1) and So Yeon Ryu (T-15, +2).
Once May Be a Mistake, Twice Is Likely a Pattern, and Three Times Would Be a Habit
If Lydia Ko can hold her lead and emerge victorious tomorrow afternoon from Sahalee, she’d join Inbee Park (2013), Pat Bradley (1985-86), Mickey Wright (1961-62), and Babe Zaharias (1950) as the only women to win three straight majors. Last September, Ko won the final major on the 2015 LPGA schedule, the Evian Championship, before claiming the ANA Inspiration in April.
Teen Spirit
Lydia Ko’s pursuit of history tomorrow runs deeper than that prospect of capturing three consecutive major championships. With a victory, Ko would secure her third major championship and leave herself just a win shy of achieving the LPGA’s Career Grand Slam (she would need to win either U.S. Women’s Open or the RICOH Women’s British Open to achieve the feat).
A Ko victory tomorrow would also make her the youngest champion in the 62-year history of this Championship. In 2008, Yani Tseng won at the age of 19 years, 4 months and 16 days (she is the only teenager to win this Championship). Tomorrow, Ko will be 19 years, one month and 19 days old. Eighteen year-old Brooke Henderson, who led on Thursday and was tied for the lead Friday, is also in contention. She is two shots back at even-par.
Americans Making a Statement
The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship has been a global melting pot of talent, with 14 of the past 15 Champions internationally born. On Saturday, Brittany Lincicome of Seminole, Florida and Gerina Piller of Plano, Texas, are each making a bid to give the United States its first KPMG Women’s PGA Champion since Cristie Kerr (2010). Lincicome finished runner-up in 2014 and Piller tied for sixth in 2012.
Moving On Up
Amy Yang fired the best round of the week, a 5-under-par 66, that catapulted her into contention. Seven birdies outweighed a pair of bogeys, as Yang emerged from a tie for 35th place on Friday night to a T-4 position entering Sunday’s final round. Yang has won twice during her LPGA career, but never in the United States.
Ariya’s Upward Mobility
Much like Amy Yang, Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn made a statement early today, posting a sterling 68 to plug herself into the Sunday storyline at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Jutanugarn blended two bogeys, a double bogey and 7 birdies to jump 19 spots into a tie for fourth place. Jutanugarn is gunning for her fourth consecutive victory, as in her previous three entries, she won the LPGA Volvik Championship (May 26-29), the Kingsmill Championship Presented by JTBC (May 19-22) and the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic (May 5-8).
Bermingham Can’t Beat the Experience
LPGA Teaching Professional Jennifer Bermingham of Long Beach, California, was all smiles despite a second straight 5-over-par 76 that left her 11-over-par in her debut in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Playing in her first LPGA Tour event, Bermingham earned Low Club Professional honors among eight entered in the Championship. “It’s unbelievable that this is all happening. Words cannot describe,” said Bermingham, who is a 28-year-old Director of Instruction at Skylinks at Long Beach Golf Course. “When I came to LPGA events in the past, I always look at all these legends like they’re so famous. I‘ve been walking down the fairway and I have seen people pointing at me like I’m the cool one.”
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