South Korea’s Haeran Ryu shook off a shaky round Friday to fire a 4-under 68 Saturday, grabbing a share of the lead through three rounds at the Chevron Championship in The Woodlands, Texas.
Ryu began her day with two pars and a bogey before heating up. She scored five birdies over six holes at The Club at Carlton Woods, including four straight from Holes 6-9 to get to 4 under through the first half of her round.
“Yeah, on the front nine it was so good for me because yesterday my shot is a little bad and I had some problems with it,” Ryu said. “But I just learned this course is more for the pin and I want to go for more easy putts and make some birdies and that’s a big key for me today.”
Windy conditions limited her success the rest of the way, but Ryu still maintained par in the back half.
“The back nine was so challenging for me because the wind started a little more stronger and the pin position was so tough, and my putter — almost in the hole but always go next to the hole and then make some easy pars,” Ryu said. “But yeah, it was so hard today.”
She shares the lead with Japan’s Mao Saigo, who balanced four birdies against a solitary bogey to shoot 3 under, putting her at 9 under for the tournament.
Saigo, 23, is seeking her first tournament win.
“I just need to focus on my golf game just one by one, and not only golf game but try to control my mental control, too, and hopefully I will win,” Saigo said.
Lindy Duncan also remains in the hunt a stroke behind the leaders after her 2-under 70. Her two-birdie day followed a sizzling 66 (with eight birdies) on Friday.
China’s Yan Liu, who led the field following Friday’s round in which she managed to net a rare 3-under-par score on a hole (the par-5 eighth), fell into a tie for fourth at 7 under after her even 72.
Tied with Liu two strokes behind Ryu and Saigo is Sarah Schmelzel, who was 1 under on Saturday. She pocketed birdies on 8 and 14.
Five golfers are in a tie for sixth place at 6 under, three strokes behind the leaders. Four of them shot a 70 on Saturday: Lexi Thompson, China’s Ruoning Yin, Spain’s Carlota Ciganda and Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn.
They’re tied with South Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi (71).
–Field Level Media
