Nasa Hataoka took benefit of Jin Younger Ko’s late meltdown Saturday to take a four-stroke lead heading into the ultimate spherical of the LA Open.
Tied for the lead with Hataoka after a birdie on the par-five fifteenth, the top-ranked Ko bogeyed the par-four sixteenth and made a quadruple-bogey eight on the seventeenth after failing twice to get the ball out of the deep barranca.
Hataoka birdied the sixteenth and parred the ultimate two holes for a four-under-par 67 and 11-under 202 complete at breezy Wilshire Nation Membership. The 23-year-old from Japan has 5 LPGA Tour victories, profitable twice final season.
“Throughout yesterday’s spherical, one thing clicked inside me and I used to be in a position to deliver that to at the moment’s spherical too,” Hataoka mentioned. “I believe that actually helped me at the moment.”
Hannah Inexperienced of Australia was second after a 69.
Ko shot a 72, closing with a 15-foot birdie putt from the perimeter on the par-three 18th, to fall right into a tie for third with fellow South Korean gamers Inbee Park (68) and Haeji Kang (69).
On the seventeenth, Ko hit her second shot into the barranca that snakes by means of the historic structure. As an alternative of taking an unplayable lie, she climbed down into the gully and tried to hit out twice earlier than taking an unplayable lie.
“I performed not unhealthy. Simply 17 was huge mistake,” Ko mentioned. “However that is golf. I don’t have remorse.”
On the sixteenth, Ko’s chip from in entrance of the inexperienced rolled again to her ft and she or he made a 20-footer to salvage bogey.
“This course is hard one, so I’m attempting to deal with my recreation,” Ko mentioned. “And I've yet another spherical to go, so I'll use the all power from my physique.”
Ko received in Singapore early final month for her thirteenth LPGA Tour title. She received 5 occasions final 12 months.
Hatoaka had 5 birdies and a bogey Saturday in diminished wind.
“In comparison with yesterday, at the moment wasn’t actually unhealthy,” Hataoka mentioned. “Really feel just like the wind yesterday was much more tough to learn.”
Inexperienced had three birdies and a bogey enjoying within the last group with Hataoka and Ko.
“I really feel like I haven’t performed my total finest,” Inexperienced mentioned. “I’m hoping tomorrow I can form of get the whole lot to go my means and try to put as a lot stress on Nasa as attainable.”
Park had 4 birdies and a bogey.
“This golf course, something can occur,” Park mentioned. “Particularly, when you have a nasty placing day, it’s only a catastrophe on this golf course.”
The match is a part of a two-week run within the Los Angeles space, with the Palos Verdes Championship subsequent week.
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