09 Aug 2020 | Professional golf |
Lee chasing Ko on LPGA
by Martin Blake
Australia’s Minjee Lee eagled the final hole of her third round to move into the top bracket at the LPGA Tour’s Marathon Classic, but New Zealand’s Lydia Ko is on the verge of a breakthrough victory in Ohio.
Lee shot a 68 on Saturday to go with rounds of 68 and 67 and at 10-under, the Perth superstar is six shots back from Ko in third place, with only Danielle Kang (12-under) separating them.
The highlight was her eagle three at the par-five 18th, but she also made three birdies on the front nine. Ranked No. 8 in the world, Lee was third last week at the Drive On Championship in Toledo, the tour’s resumption from the Covid-19 interruption.
Soon she will head to Scotland for the first major of the year, the Women’s British Open at Royal Troon.
Meanwhile Ko (64-65-68) has returned from the break in some of her best form, taking a four-shot lead into the final round tomorrow.
The Kiwi former world No. 1 is seeking her 16th LPGA Tour win but she has not picked up a trophy since the 2018 Mediheal Championship, where she hit a famous fairway approach to a par-five playoff hole to pip Australia’s Lee.
Another Australian, Katherine Kirk is tied-16th at five-under par, having a good week.
ON THE EUROPEAN Tour, Perth’s Jason Scrivener vaulted up the leaderboard in the third round of the English Championship, shooting a 66 to begin the final round in sixth place behind England’s Andy Sullivan, who has a five-shot lead.
Another WA star, Min Woo Lee, began the third round in contention but he carded a one-under par 70 that saw him slide down to tied-16th.
RYAN RUFFELS’ charge in the Korn Ferry Tour’s Portland Open lost momentum with two double bogeys in the opening five holes of the third round. Ruffels shot a stunning 63 on Friday but today he managed a 74 to slide to tied-13th alongside another Australian, Brett Drewitt.