He Young Park of South Korea hits a shot from the third tee during the CME Group Titleholders LPGA golf tournament. Photo / AP
South Korean Hee Young Park fired her second three-under-par 69 in a row to match Germany's Sandra Gal for the lead after three rounds of the LPGA Titleholders tournament in Florida.
Park birdied three of the last four holes to stand on seven-under-par 209 through 54 holes at Grand Cypress Resort with Gal matching her after a 71 on Saturday.
Park, seeking her first LPGA triumph in the season-ending US$1.5 million showdown, cracked the top 10 only twice all season, but her third-place effort at the Safeway Classic in August was good enough to earn a spot at this event.
"I'm very thirsty," Park said of her desire for an inaugural LPGA victory. "Yeah, I'm ready."
Gal figures she has an edge over Park because she knows what it's like to win a LPGA event.
She won the Kia Classic last March with a birdie on the 72nd hole for her only career LPGA title.
"It's great to be in that position, have the chance to win," Gal said. "If you've done it before, I think it gives you more confidence in the back of your mind for sure."
World No.2 Suzann Pettersen of Norway was third on 210 after a bogey-free 68 while American Paula Creamer was another shot adrift after firing a 71.
World No.1 Yani Tseng of Taiwan matched the low round of the week with a 66 to pull within three of the lead and grab a share of fifth with South Korean Na Yeon Choi on 212. Choi, who led when the day began, stumbled back with a 75.
"I played bad on the first two days so today it was really nice," Tseng said. "I just enjoyed and tried to make more birdies."
Gal set an early pace with birdies at the par-3 fourth and par-4 seventh, but stumbled back with a bogey at the par-3 eighth and double bogey at the par-4 ninth. Birdies at the par-5 11th and par-4 13th put her back in the hunt.
"I'm actually pretty drained. It was such a roller-coaster round," Gal said. "But it's all just good. I'm happy to be up there leading. It was tough.
Pettersen opened with a birdie and added three in a row starting at the par-3 12th to climb into contention for her third victory of the season after the Match-Play Championship in May and the Safeway Classic.
"I'm just glad to be back in this tournament," Pettersen said. "I feel very good with my game. I'm right in where I want to be. I had some good opportunities and then saved a good par on the last. Overall very happy."
Australian Karrie Webb is 12 shots off the lead with a three-round total of 221.
- AFP
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