SINGAPORE — Chun In-gee will take a one-shot lead over fellow South Koreans Lee Jeong-eun and Ko Jin-young into Sunday’s final round of the HSBC Women’s World Championship following a six-under par third round at Singapore’s Sentosa Golf Club on Saturday.
The unflappable Chun moved to 12-under after 56 holes to lead from her compatriots as a bogey-free round took her to the top of the leaderboard.
The 27-year-old two-time major winner claimed sole possession of top spot with a birdie on the par-three 15th hole on the way to completing the third round in 66 strokes.
World number one Ko, who was tied for the lead going after Friday’s second round, hit a 69 to remain in contention while Lee’s 65 was the best round of the day.
Lee made a blistering start to her day, draining a putt in excess of 20 feet at the fourth as she picked up five shots in the opening seven holes to claim a share of the lead.
She then chipped in for an eagle at the par-five 10th to establish herself among the frontrunners.
Overnight co-leader Amy Yang put the ball in the water at the 16th to register a double-bogey seven, capping a frustrating round that leaves her three shots behind Chun and in a tie for fourth alongside Danielle Kang and Atthaya Thitikul.
Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit, leader at the end of Thursday’s first round, set off at a blistering pace early in the day and moved into a share of first on the 13th with the sixth birdie of her round.
But last year’s LPGA Rookie of the Year saw her challenge falter when a tee shot into the water at the 15th resulted in a double bogey before a triple bogey six at the 17th saw her drop back to four-under alongside two-time winner Park In-bee. — Reuters