28 Aug 2022 | Professional golf |
Choi searching for Idaho victory
by Australian Golf Media
By Tony Webeck
Gold Coaster Robyn Choi is in contention for a breakthrough professional win after taking a share of the lead at the Epson Tour’s Circling Raven Championship in Idaho.
The Australian flag is flying prominent at Circling Raven Golf Club with Choi tied for the lead and Grace Kim (68) and Gabriela Ruffels (69) just one shot back at nine-under in a tie for fifth.
Choi is at 10-under and level with Americans Jessica Welch (65) and Jillian Hollis (66) along with Korean Hyo Joon Jang following a round of six-under 66.
Out in three-under, the 24-year-old added a fourth birdie at 10 but dropped a shot at 12, her surge up the leaderboard coming primarily from a run of three straight birdies from the 14th hole.
Currently 21st in the Race to the Card where the top 10 finishers at season’s end earn promotion to the LPGA Tour, Choi has enjoyed her most consistent season to date.
Earlier in the season she logged four consecutive top-10 finishes and is hoping to go one better than her runner-up finish at the Four Winds Invitational two years ago.
Sunday represents a significant day also for Kim and Ruffels.
Comfortably ensconced inside the top 10 at sixth on the moneylist, a second win would guarantee Kim’s promotion to the LPGA Tour in 2023 while Ruffels – currently 14th – needs a prominent finish to move her way into the top 10.
A double bogey at her 10th hole saw Perth’s Hira Naveed fall to 27th on the leaderboard with one round to play after drawing to within one of the lead midway through her second round. Stephanie Kyriacou’s tie for 11th is the best of the Aussies through three rounds of the CP Women’s Open on the LPGA Tour.
Kyriacou backed up her round of eight-under 63 on Friday with a one-under 70 to be seven shots off the pace, West Australian Hannah Green a further shot back in a tie for 20th at eight-under par.
Brad Kennedy is in a tie for 17th early in his final round at the Japan Golf Tour’s Sansan KBC Augusta tournament, Rod Pampling is in a share of 13th at the Champions Tour Ally Challenge and Cameron Smith (68) and Adam Scott (68) are tied for 18th and 25th respectively in a third round of the Tour Championship that will be completed Sunday morning due to an electrical storm.
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