After another weather delay at the LOTTE Championship presented by Hershey, this time lasting a little over an hour, there’s a mix of proven winners and golfers looking for their initial LPGA Tour breakthrough near the top of the leaderboard going into Saturday’s finale.
Su-Yeon Jang, who is looking to become the first sponsor invite since Lydia Ko at the 2013 CP Canadian Women’s Open to capture an LPGA Tour title, leads by three shots over Cristie Kerr and Canadian Alena Sharp.
“I had a great feeling for my shots and putting today. Because I had to finish up the second round this morning and playing another 18 I was a little bit tired, but I know I'm so far away from home and I traveled so long to play this tournament, so I try to tell myself just to suck if up and have a good time and play a good round today,” said Jang, who fired a 7-under-par 65, with no bogeys on the card.
Kerr shot a 10-under-par 62 Friday, which was both the course and tournament record, as she looks for her first LPGA Tour win since 2015.
“Everybody says about being in the zone (but) I just kind of stayed out of my own way, which is what I have to do to have a chance tomorrow,” said Kerr. “I hit it fine. I stayed out of my own way and I had a good time with my caddy, Brady. It was a lot of fun today.”
Sharp, meanwhile, is looking for her first LPGA Tour victory. Despite a bogey on her final hole of the day, the Canadian Olympian still fired a 6-under-par 66 to sit at 14-under through three rounds.
“I didn’t even know what I was shooting really. I was just kind of on autopilot,” said Sharp. “I hit a lot of good shots. Made a lot of good par saves, and (made) some good birdie putts to start the day. I was very happy with how I played.”
World No.1 Lydia Ko fired a 7-under-par 65 on Friday with no bogeys, but still sits seven shots back of the lead.
“I hit it a little better the last couple of days, so I gave myself a few more looks at birdie,” explained Ko. “I was able to hole some longer putts on my front nine. When you get to hole putts that you don’t necessarily think are in birdie range, it’s always nice. I was able to make up and downs when I hit off the greens. It was a good combination, and definitely nice to shoot a low one.”
Ko’s biggest rival on the LPGA Tour, Ariya Jutanugarn, fired a 2-under-par 70, but just couldn’t get anything going as the third round plodded along, and sits in solo fifth.
So Yeon Ryu, who hasn’t finished outside the top-seven at any LPGA Tour event in 2017, fired a 3-under-par 69 and sits in sixth place alone. She appears to be continuing her torrid start to 2017 and is in prime position for another final-round charge.
Stacy Lewis, who was just a few shots back of the lead after the second round, just couldn’t get anything going on Friday and her even-par 72 has her tied for 10th.
Minjee Lee, the defending champion, fired a 4-under-par 68 on Friday and sits T15. She’s tied with Inbee Park and Brooke Henderson, who, after finishing in the top 10 eight out of her first nine weeks in 2016, has only notched one top-10 finish so far in 2017.
There is a chance of showers during Saturday’s final round, which could impact the scheduling once again. Each round of the LOTTE Championship so far has been impeded by a weather delay.
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