World No 1 Yani Tseng has regained the lead after the third round of the Sunrise LPGA Taiwan Championship - to the delight of her multitude of Taiwan fans.
Yani Tseng in action Saturday
World No 1 Yani Tseng has regained the lead after the third round of the Sunrise LPGA Taiwan Championship - to the delight of her multitude of Taiwan fans.
The 22-year-old Taiwan icon went out and shot a seven-birdie, two-bogey, 5-under 67 for a 10-under 206 3rd-round total that has taken her two shots clear of Sweden's Anna Nordqvist, one of Friday's leaders, and a further shot in front of Spain's Azahara Munoz, the other overnight leader.
Nordqvist shot a 1-under 69 on the Sunrise Golf & Country Club in Yang Mei and Munoz, like Nordqvist a member of the European Solheim Cup team that defeated the USA in Ireland last month, a level-par 71.
Two more South Koreans, Hee-Won Han and Amy Yang shared fourth place at 2-under after both shot 1-under 70s, but Scotland's Catriona Matthew, Britain's strongest positioned pursuer, slipped back into a tie for ninth place with Japan's Ai Miyazato, who had shared the first round lead with Tseng.
Both shot two over 74s to fall to 1-under totals.
A victory this week for Tseng will give her a seventh LPGA Tour victory and 11th international triumph this season and set her up to join the elite group of Babe Zaharias, Kathy Whitworth,
Beth Daniel and Lorena Ochoa who all notched eight LPGA Tour victories in the same season.
During her three years on the LPGA Tour, Tseng has recorded 11 career LPGA Tour victories including five majors. but says winning the at honme in Taiwan this week would rank up there with the best of her victories.
"It would be very, very special to win in this tournament tomorrow, because this is the first time and first time so many people are coming to watch us, and I think it just -- you know, it is my honor I can share with all the fans there.
Nordqvist, who has won twice on the LPGA Tour with a best this season of a tie for fifth at the Shoprite LPGA Classic, is also keen to get pack on the winners podium.
"Yeah, I'm really excited about tomorrow," said Nordqvist. "Obviously playing the last group with Aza and Yani will attack a lot more people It's really exciting. Just every time you put yourself in a position to win, this is what I dream of and practice for, so I really look forward to tomorrow."
While the players experienced a brief reprieve from the wind on Friday, things were back to normal on Saturday with gusts getting up to 25 mph.
"I've been really, really patient, and before I go out, the first tee, I told my caddie, "this wind like this, even par is really good score, and I shot five under," said current leader Yani Tseng.
"So I was really proud of myself and very happy what I did today and be patient all day."
The wind has plagued players throughout this week's Sunrise LPGA Championship making the already difficult Robert Trent Jones Jr. golf course even the more daunting. The first two rounds have brought only a total of 47 rounds under par from the 90 players in the field.
A mere ten players shot into the under-par red zone on Saturday with Yani Tseng recording the best round of the day with her 67.
golf365.com