For Madelene Sagstrom, the winner of the 2020 Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio, the key to earning a second LPGA Tour victory on Sunday at Blythefield Country Club is right in front of her. She needs a flock of birdies.
“We know this course is playing soft and easy. So we know we have to make birdies out here. It’s critical, because here when you make a bogey you lose against the field. The steadier you can stay and keep making pars and, then knowing you're going to roll a few in, I mean, you're going to stay up there,” said Sagstrom who had seven birdies and no bogeys in a Saturday 65 to enter the final round in solo third, four shots behind the leader, Nelly Korda.
“I made some putts and I also hit it close. It was a nice mix. I wasn't relying on anything particularly. I knew I could make birdies from pretty much everywhere, so it was nice,” Sagstrom said.
The near 40-minute rain delay didn’t douse the 28-year-old's hot putter.
“It affected a little bit. We didn't get to warm up after, so it was kind of ‘how do you get back into the momentum as quick as possible,’” said Sagstrom. “I was just trying to change up a few plays off the tee, put myself in play, and build up that momentum again and not losing anything.”
Ahead of the final round, Sagstrom hopes to keep the momentum.
“I’m just going to go out and do what I'm doing, hoping for birdies, and then if it's my day, it's my day,” she said. “Give myself a chance really. That's what I been trying to do all week. Just giving myself chances.”
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