Amy Yang seizes LPGA third-round lead with back-to-back birdie finish
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
South Korean Amy Yang on Saturday fired her third consecutive five-under 67 to stand on 15-under 201 after 54 holes.
PHOTO: AFP
LOS ANGELES – South Korea’s Amy Yang closed with back-to-back birdies to grab a one-stroke lead after Saturday’s third round of the LPGA Meijer Classic.
She fired her third consecutive five-under 67 to stand on 15-under 201 after 54 holes at Blythefield Country Club in Belmont, Michigan.
The 33-year-old Orlando resident made seven birdies against two back-nine bogeys to take the top spot in search of her first victory on US soil.
“All day, all week, my ball striking has been really good so I was giving myself good chances out there,” she said.
“I was a little bit off with putting speed. During the round I made a couple of mistakes, but I tried to stay patient and keep trying throughout.”
Japan’s Ayaka Furue (69), who began the day with a one-stroke edge, shared second on 202 with China’s Lin Xiyu, seeking her first LPGA title, and South African Ashleigh Buhai, the reigning Women’s British Open champion who won the previous LPGA ShopRite Classic. Both shot 66s.
The 56th-ranked Yang is a three-time Ladies European Tour winner and four-time LPGA champion, her first coming in South Korea in 2013 and the other three coming in Thailand in 2015, 2017 and 2019.
She hopes to snap a four-year win drought ahead of her 69th attempt to win a Major title in this week’s Women’s PGA Championship at Baltusrol.
“I’m always doing my best to win my first Major,” Yang said.
“If I play good this week it will definitely give me a good confidence going into a Major. I’m just going to keep trying.”
Yang, joint fourth in April’s Chevron Championship, had her best Major results in runner-up showings at the 2012 and 2015 US Women’s Opens.
She made birdies at the par-five fourth, eighth and 10th as well as the par-four sixth, but stumbled with bogeys at the par-three 11th and 13th holes.
She answered with a birdie at the par-five 14th and then birdied the par-four 17th before completing a birdie sweep of the par-fives at No. 18 to seize the lead.
World No. 17 Furue, an eight-time winner on the Japan Tour, won her only LPGA title at the 2022 Scottish Open but has five top-four finishes in her past nine events.
She birdied four of the first eight holes and had only one bogey for her first 48 holes before making three in the next five holes.
She was undone by a 15-foot par putt miss at the par-three 13th and tee shots that hooked way left at Nos. 16 and 17 before a closing birdie gave her a 69 and a share of second.
Buhai followed her lone bogey at the 17th with a closing eagle, while Lin opened and closed with birdies in a bogey-free round.
“Tried to keep everything simple and keep everything aggressive and I’m glad it pays off,” Lin said.
Defending champion Jennifer Kupcho is tied for eighth on 204 after a second-straight 69. REUTERS