After a heartbreaking finish in the U.S. Women’s Open two years ago, Japan’s Nasa Hataoka will rely on some familiarity as she takes another shot at raising a major trophy near the California coast.
Hataoka shot a 6-under par 66 on Saturday to power through tough scoring conditions at Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links and take a one-shot lead over Allisen Corpuz through three rounds of the U.S. Women’s Open.
Hataoka is at 7-under 209 to earn her way into the final group for Sunday’s final round at the first ever U.S. Women’s Open played at the famed course along the Pacific Ocean.
In 2021, the event was played at Olympic Club in San Francisco, with Hataoka falling just short in a three-hole playoff to Yuka Saso. It was her second runner-up finish in a major after she tied for second in the 2018 Women’s PGA Championship.
“I think the quality of the green and the grass quality is similar (as Olympic Club), and there are quite a bit of uphill areas as well as a great deal of bounce here,” Hataoka said about how her 2021 experience will help Sunday. “I am hoping that I can keep in mind while I’m playing tomorrow everything that I’ve learned through my putting practice and to be able to be victorious over the next 18 holes.”
Hataoka had the best round of the day that included sunny but windy conditions, with nobody else in the field better than 2-under for the third round. Only 11 players were under par in the third round.
“It was a bit windier, however, the temperatures were higher, thank goodness, so I think my body participated with the higher temperatures, and I was able to manage all my goals,” Hataoka said.
Corpuz shot a 1-under 71 on Saturday after she lipped out a birdie putt at No. 17 and had a bogey at 18 when she had to chip out of a fairway bunker because of a half-buried lie.
South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim (73 on Saturday) and second-round leader Bailey Tardy (75) were tied for third place at 4-under. Tardy had a two-shot lead heading into Saturday’s play before struggling off the tee early in the round.
“(I’m) disappointed in some of my shots today, but overall … I’m still in contention,” Tardy said. “I was leading the U.S. Open after two days. I think there was a little bit of nerves involved today. But yeah, just going to go out and enjoy tomorrow and see what happens.”
Hataoka was 2 under through the first nine holes then had birdies at Nos. 10, 13, 16 and 17 to vault into the lead. She built momentum with a long birdie putt at 10, then drained a 20-footer at 13. She chipped in from the fringe for birdie at 16 then made a 10-foot putt at 17 for the only bogey-free round Saturday.
Corpuz was 2 under through 10 holes but bogeys at Nos. 11 and 18 slowed her round. The Hawaii native twice moved into sole possession of the lead, once after a par putt at No. 8 and again after a birdie at No. 14.
“It means a ton, just really special to be in the final pairing,” Corpuz said. “I’m really excited and looking forward to it.”
The only others in the field under par through three rounds were the South Korea duo of Jiyai Shin (70) and Hae Ran Ryu (73), who were at 2-under. England’s Charley Hull and Angel Yin were tied for seventh at even par.
“This is the toughest golf course I think I’ve ever played, and just the course setup is really testing every aspect of your game this week,” Tardy said.
–Field Level Media
