After an impressive performance at the Chevron Championship, Haeran Ryu has turned plenty of heads. That run capped off a tremendous front nine, which included a chip-in birdie on the ninth hole. The 22-year-old South Korean player navigated challenging wind conditions effectively, allowing her to secure a share of the third-round lead alongside Japan’s Mao Saigo. Both contenders ended the day at 9-under 207, making for an exhilarating conclusion.
Lexi Thompson, a veteran of the game and former winner of this major championship, secured the third position. She capped off an exceptional outing by posting a final-round 70 to bring her total to 6 under. The 30-year-old, who calls Florida home, found her momentum when she birdied No. 4. She followed that by stunning the field with four consecutive birdies, from No. 6 through 9.
Haeran Ryu was able to continue that momentum for the rest of the round. She got it through the last nine holes in a cold-blooded 4-under 68. Her first chip-in birdie on the par-5 13th hole was the turning point. This phenomenal dropkick move launched her up to meet Saigo at the top of the leaderboard.
World number 40 Mao Saigo had a round of 69 to nail down solo third. He equaled Ryu’s total by holing out from the fringe for birdie on the 13th. The 23-year-old rookie of the year proved to have astonishing fortitude. He parred all five closing holes, leaving him tied at 12 under and atop the leaderboard.
Lindy Duncan, 34, who has yet to win on the LPGA Tour but remains hot on the trail of the elusive breakthrough win. She fired a very nice round of 70 to put herself in the mix only one shot off the lead. “We have gotten far on this side, and this is the biggest stage for us,” she said recently about her thrill to be playing at this level.
Those were the two biggest obstacles that Liu encountered throughout the day. He fell out of a three-way tie for the lead after making a double bogey on the par-3 17th hole.
With the race to the final round quickly coming to a close, players are gearing up for what is sure to be an extremely cutthroat finish. Lexi Thompson reflected on her experience and looked forward to the final round: “I’m looking forward to tomorrow and seeing what I can bring.”
Haeran Ryu acknowledged the difficulties she faced on the back nine, stating, “The back nine was so challenging for me because the wind started a little more stronger and the pin positions were so tough.” Meanwhile, Mao Saigo emphasized the importance of focus, remarking, “I just need to focus on my golf game, just one by one.”
Leave a Reply