Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – England’s Lottie Woad conjured seven birdies in a five-under-par 65 to grab a three-shot lead going into the final round of the LPGA Queen City Championship. The 22-year-old rising star made the most of a Maketewah Country Club course softened by morning storms on Saturday to build a 54-hole total of 11-under 199 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Overnight co-leader Amanda Doherty had three birdies in a one-under 69 that put her in second place on eight-under 202 as world number one Nelly Korda slipped nine adrift with a two-over 72. “Obviously it rained a bit with the storm, so you could be a bit more aggressive with the wedges definitely, and you could hold a few more fairways,” Woad said of the conditions after inclement weather held up play for more than two hours. “I think my iron play was really good. Hit a lot of greens and a lot of shots inside 15 feet, so gave myself a lot of chances,” she said.
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A former top-ranked amateur, Woad turned pro after her third-placed finish at the Evian Championship last year and won the Women’s Scottish Open in July. “Looking forward to being in contention again,” she said. “I think this year I’ve been back dooring top 10s, top 15s, I haven’t really been challenging on Sunday so looking forward to actually playing under the pressure a bit.”
Doherty, 28, is chasing her first LPGA title. She’s one stroke in front of South Korean Ryu Hae-ran, who had seven birdies in her four-under 66. “I feel like I handled it well,” Doherty said of her round. “I stuck to my game plan. I didn’t hit it awesome, but I got it around all right. There is definitely excitement, definitely nerves, but that’s what comes with it,” she said of playing in the final group on Sunday.
New Zealand’s Lydia Ko was alone in fourth after a one-under 69 for six-under 204. World number two Jeeno Thitikul was in a tie for fifth on five-under, but Korda’s hopes of a third victory in as many starts appeared to have evaporated with her two-over round, which included four bogeys — three of them on the back nine. She was tied for 19th in a group that also included overnight co-leader Ko Jin-young, who posted a five-over 75.
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