The US’ Katie Burnett chipped in for a birdie from 75 feet on the par-four 18th on Friday for a five-under 67 and a one-stroke lead in the Lotte Championship.
Winless in 59 career starts on the LPGA Tour, the 26-year-old Georgia player had her second straight bogey-free round to take a 13-under 203 total into the final round at Ko Olina.
“I’m from the coast so I’m used to the wind,” Burnett said. “I’ve been home for two weeks and it was really windy at home, so I have pretty much been working on a pinch shot or three-quarter shot so it doesn’t get so affected by the wind. Been doing that with my driver.”
Photo: AFP
Burnett’s only top-10 finish on the LPGA Tour came in 2014 at Ko Olina when she tied for ninth.
Burnett began the day two strokes behind second-round leader Minjee Lee. The former University of South Carolina player birdied the par-five fifth, added another on the par-four 11th and hit wedges close to set up consecutive birdies on the par-five 14th and par-four 15th.
“It was a solid round,” Burnett said. “I just tried to stay patient.”
Jang Su-yeon was second after a 67 in calmer conditions after the brisk tradewinds dropped dramatically. Playing on a sponsor exemption, the 21-year-old South Korean player is coming off a victory last week in the Korean LPGA event sponsored by Lotte — a win that earned her a spot next year at Ko Olina.
US Women’s Open champion Chun In-gee and Moriya Jutanugarn were 10-under. Chun had a 65, and Jutanugarn shot 68. Defending champion Kim Sei-young was another shot back after her third straight 69.
Lee shot a 74 to drop into a tie for sixth at eight-under. She and Lizette Salas (73) were the players among the top 44 to shoot over-par rounds.
Top-ranked Lydia Ko, coming off consecutive victories in California, was 11 strokes back at two-under after a 71.
Jang, an eight-time winner on the Korean LPGA, who is making her first start in the US, birdied the final four holes on the front nine. She dropped a stroke on the par-three 12th, birdied the next three and made another bogey on the par-three 16th.
Chun eagled the par-five 13th, hitting a 3-wood from 230 yards (210.31m) to 20 feet. She is making her second start after sitting out a month because of a back injury. She was hurt when she was struck by a suitcase that Jang Ha-na’s father dropped down an escalator at the Singapore airport.
Taiwan’s Min Lee, the only Taiwanese player left in the competition, carded a two-over-par 74.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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