LPGA Qualifying Series’ Qualifying Stage had warm weather and gusty winds for round three, but athletes still managed near-perfect scores. The field of 194 athletes was shuffled based on scores for the third day, with half playing on the Panther Course and the other half on the Bobcat Course at Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, Fla. Friday was Moving Day for athletes and they did just that as they all prepare to fight during the final round for the chance to post a top 45 finish to advance to the Final Qualifying Stage of LPGA Q-Series come Saturday evening.

Anna Nordfors started day three with a string of pars before her first blemish in 23 holes came with a bogey on the par-4 5th hole. However, Nordfors collected herself right away, draining a birdie on the par-4 6th hole, rounding out her front nine 1-under with a birdie on the ninth.

“Yeah. It was quite windy today compared to yesterday when we played. Just try to take it hole by hole. Obviously, I had a good day yesterday, so I didn't try to get too excited or too nervous about it or compare the two rounds. Tried to play steady golf and let one putt drop after another. Played the par fives pretty good today and really scored well on those,” said Nordfors.

The Sweden native started her back nine right where she left off on off on the front, with a birdie on hole 10. Nordfors, heading into her final stretch, knocked down two more birdies to finish the round, posting a 3-under 69 heading into the final round with a three-shot lead.

Nordfors expressed, “Obviously, you just want to be in the top 45 after this week. That was my goal, so of course it feels really good (to lead), but just going into a new day tomorrow, and going to take it as a new day, and it's a new course.”

Polly Mack is T2 at 10-under total through 54 holes. After struggling on day two, Mack made a comeback with a 5-under 67 to slide back into the top five. Playing the Panther Course for a second straight day, the German stuck to her game plan to make the turn 1-under par.

“Just staying patient. I felt like I had it in me. Putts were really good yesterday; they were just not falling in, and that's sometimes how it is. And sometimes, we just gotta accept that and move on. I think I did my best, just knowing that it's in me, that I did really good yesterday overall, just didn't show on the scorecard. It felt like, honestly, I played very similarly to yesterday, just today, I was lucky that they did fall in and that they did read the right green,” said Mack.

The University of Alabama graduate happily got paired with an old teammate, Sarah Edwards, for round three. The calming presence of a familiar face led to a bogey-free 4-under second nine. Mack sank back-to-back birdies on holes 13 and 14, followed by a birdie on the par-4 18th.

“I absolutely loved it,” Mack said about playing with Edwards. “I was so excited when I saw the pairing. I saw her in the beginning of the week for a practice round for the first time in a while, and so many memories and just such a good vibe out there. So much fun, a lot of good laughs, and I think we also kept ourselves going. She made some birdies towards the end, which I love to see. I made some birdies throughout the round, so it was just awesome catching up and playing together again.”

Cholcheva Wongras carded the round of the day, jumping 47 spots on the leaderboard. Wongras drained five consecutive birdies on the back nine of the Panther Course at Plantation Golf and Country Club to sign for a 6-under 66, moving her into T10 heading into the final day of competition.

“I think it's a nice motivation to be able to shoot 66 today. I will try to do my best tomorrow,” said Wongras.

In a tie for second with Polly Mack are Annie Kim, Emma Spitz, and Mirabel Ting. Ting, also T2, had an up-and-down third round, finding five bogeys and five birdies, ultimately signing for an even par 72.

Four athletes are just two shots out of second place at 8-under total in a tie for sixth. The final round will begin on Saturday at 8:00 a.m. local time. Follow along with live scoring here.

Anna Nordfors Holds Solo Lead after Round Three of LPGA Q-Series Qualifying Stage

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