Japan’s Mika Miyazato fired eight birdies and an eagle for a 10-under 62 on Saturday to match South Korea’s Kang Soo-yun for the lead after the third round of the LPGA Corning Classic.
Miyazato’s bogey-free run left her and Kang level atop the leaderboard after 54 holes at 17-under par 199, one stroke ahead of Taiwan’s Yani Tseng, who also had a 62 on Saturday in the farewell edition of the event.
Tseng and Miyazato matched the 18-hole tournament record with their stellar rounds.
PHOTO: AFP
Miyazato birdied the par-five second hole and eagled the par-five fifth.
“I’m so excited,” Miyazato said. “It was my best score and that was the first time in an LPGA tournament I made an eagle, so maybe I was a little bit nervous.”
The Japanese standout then birdied three of the last four holes on the front nine. After a birdie at 12, Miyazato birdied three of her last four holes, including 17 and 18.
Miyazato would have seized the lead alone if not for Kang, whose birdie at the 18th salvaged a final-round 65 and a share of the lead after two late bogeys.
Kang birdied five holes in a row starting at the par-five second, added another at the par-five 12th and eagled the par-five 14th, before taking bogeys at the par-three 15th and par-four 17th ahead of her concluding birdie.
Tseng had seven birdies, two eagles and a bogey and went out in 28 to match an LPGA record.
She eagled the second and fifth holes around a birdie at the fourth, birdied the last three holes on the front side and the par-five 12th as well as the 14th, then answered a bogey at 17 with a birdie at the last.
“I had so much fun,” Tseng said. “I don’t feel like I shot 10-under. I was going out, having fun and made a bunch of putts. I’ve been very frustrated the past two weeks and now I’m very happy. Everything feels good. I’m looking forward to Sunday. I can’t wait to go out and make birdies.”
Finland’s Minea Blomqvist was fourth on 201 after a third-round 66.
France’s Karine Icher, who led after 36 holes, fired a two-over 74 and fell to a share of 17th on 204.
South Korea’s Yi Eun-jung made three eagles in her first five holes on Saturday, becoming only the fifth LPGA player to achieve the feat and just the 17th with eagles on consecutive holes.
Yi made the eagles on the par-four opening hole, the par-five second hole and the par-five fifth hole. She finished with a 69 to stand on 209.
Fellow South Korean Amy Yang made a hole-in-one at the par-three third hole, dropping in a four-iron shot for her first LPGA ace, also firing a 69 to stand on 209.
Taiwan’s Teresa Lu shot a 68 to go to seven-under 209, with compatriot Amy Hung two shots further back after a 72.
■PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
REUTERS, VIRGINIA WATER, ENGLAND
World No. 7 Paul Casey was poised for his third victory of the year after cruising into a three-stroke lead in the PGA Championship third round on Saturday.
The 31-year-old Briton played flawlessly on a warm, still day as a five-birdie 67 earned a 13-under total of 203 at the European Tour’s flagship event.
That left Casey three ahead of Dane Soren Kjeldsen (68) and four in front of Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, who catapulted into contention with a best-of-the-week 65.
In joint fourth place on 208 were Britain’s Ross Fisher (67) and Charl Schwartzel (68) of South Africa.
■BYRON NELSON
REUTERS, IRVING, TEXAS
Rory Sabbatini and John Mallinger remained tied for the lead after the third round at the Byron Nelson Championship on Saturday.
South African Sabbatini and American Mallinger took advantage of ideal scoring conditions to card 65s at the Four Seasons TPC.
They were at 13-under 197, two strokes ahead of Englishman Brian Davis (66) and Americans Dustin Johnson (66) and D.A. Points (65).
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