South Korea’s Lee Il-hee bounced back from a late double-bogey with her fifth birdie of the day at her final hole to take a one-shot lead going into the final round of the LPGA Shoprite Classic in New Jersey on Saturday.
Lee, who shared the overnight lead with Elizabeth Szokol, teed off on 10 at the Seaview Hotel & Country Club and grabbed four birdies in her first nine holes.
After her double-bogey at the 8th she finished with a final birdie for an 11-under-par total of 131 and a one-stroke edge over Japan’s Mao Saigo and Ayaka Furue and Americans Jennifer Kupcho and Szokol.
South Africa’s Lee-Ann Pace shared sixth position on eight-under 134 after carding a second successive 67, while countrywoman Ashleigh Buhai’s 72 left her on three-under 139.
Lee, a 36-year-old whose career has been hampered by multiple injuries, had opened the 54-hole event with an impressive 63.
“Today was totally different day, and I knew it’s going to be complete different day so I didn’t have any expectations,” she said. “I was just playing golf, having fun out there. Made some birdies on the first nine – it was fun.”
Saigo, who won her first Major title at the Chevron Championship in April, carded a 67 highlighted by an albatross at the par-five 3rd hole, where she holed out from 214 yards out with a 7-wood.
“First time,” said Saigo, who couldn’t see the ball go in but said she knew it had by the reaction of the crowd around the green.
Furue claimed her share of second with a bogey-free 66 while Kupcho posted the low round of the day with seven birdies in her seven-under 64, capped by a birdie-birdie finish at 8 and 9.
Szokol also overcame a double-bogey, carding four birdies in a 69 that she classed as “pretty good” in the wake of Friday’s 63.
“Definitely hard to beat yesterday’s,” Szokol said. “Still, really solid day, hit some great golf shots and made some really good putts early on to save par. Finished on a birdie so going off on a good note for tomorrow.”
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