PORTLAND, Ore. — Andrea Lee and Lilia Vu each reached No. 1 within the girls’s world beginner rating once they have been in faculty. Now they’ve a shot at their first LPGA Tour victory.
Vu had 4 birdies on the again 9 and had a 3-under 69 on Saturday and Lee completed sturdy with a 67 to share the lead with Ayaka Furue (67) of Japan going within the remaining spherical of the AmazingCre Portland Basic.
Lee starred at Stanford and mentioned the Columbia Edgewater course reminds her of the Cardinal’s dwelling course with its tree-lined fairways. Vu was an All-American at UCLA who earned her LPGA Tour card again for this yr via the Epson Tour.
Furue, who gained the Women Scottish Open this yr, joined them at 13-under 203.
None of them may discover a lot separation with so many gamers within the combine, and when the day ended, 10 gamers have been inside three pictures of the lead.
“I am simply going to go on the market and have a great time and let the golf do what it can do,” Vu mentioned.
Former Girls’s British Open champion Hinako Shibuno had a 66 and was one shot behind together with Paula Reto of South Africa, who had a 67, former Girls’s PGA champion Hannah Inexperienced (68) and Daniela Darquea of Ecuador, who had a most fun spherical of 68.
Darquea holed out for eagle from the golf green on the ninth gap to get again within the sport after which completed with a 25-foot birdie putt.
Esther Henseleit of Germany had a 71 and was two pictures behind together with Ryann O’Toole (67), whereas the group three pictures behind included Carlota Ciganda of Spain and Maja Stark of Sweden, who performed at Oklahoma State.
Stark is taking part in her first match as an LPGA Tour member. She gained 4 instances on the Women European Tour this yr, the final one coming within the ISPS Handa World Invitational in Northern Eire that was co-sanctioned by the LPGA Tour and counted as a win.
Stark was one shot behind when she three-putted from about 12 ft on the par-3 sixteenth gap and made what she known as a “fast double bogey.” Even so, she’s very a lot within the combine, similar to so many others.
“There’s so many ladies across the lead, so I assume it should be like round 20 individuals nonetheless taking part in for the win,” Henseleit mentioned. “Simply attempt to exit and shoot one thing low and see if it is your day tomorrow.”
Additionally three pictures behind was Caroline Inglis, a member at Columbia Edgewater who had loads of help all through all the day.
“It is so good. Like I am going to make like a tap-in for bogey or one thing they usually’re like clapping. It is like, ‘Simmer down.’ However no, it is good to have so many acquainted faces and have a great crowd cheering me. You aren’t getting that fairly often, so it is fairly particular.”
Brooke Henderson of Canada was 4 pictures behind. Nelly Korda had a 69 and was six pictures behind. Korda must win to have an opportunity to return to No. 1 on the earth.
