Cristie Kerr blows 5 stroke lead in LPGA Tour’s Kia Classic
CARLSBAD, Calif. – Cristie Kerr blew a five-stroke lead Saturday in the Kia Classic to set up a final-round showdown at Aviara Golf Club.
A day after shooting an 8-under 64 to open the big lead, Kerr had a 75 to drop a stroke behind playing partner Lizette Salas, Eun-Hee Ji and In-Kyung Kim. Kerr was tied with Caroline Hedwall, Wei-Ling Hsu and Cindy LaCrosse, and four players were another shot back in the final event before the major ANA Inspiration next week at Mission Hills.
“There is still Sunday,” Kerr said. “Somebody else got to sleep with the lead.”
The 40-year-old Kerr had a double bogey on the par-4 15th after snap-hooking a drive into the trees, and hitting a hybrid off a cart path.
“I just didn’t have it,” Kerr said. “I’ve got to go work on my game a little bit. Kind of been a little bit of the story this year, a little bit of inconsistency. Just got to be grateful I’m only one back with a whole new Sunday.”
The 2015 winner at Aviara, she followed the double bogey with a two-putt birdie on the short par-4 16th and had a bogey on the par-4 18th.
“Mentally, just wasn’t quite as sharp. Swing wasn’t quite as sharp,” Kerr said. “I mean, every putt I hit like bounced horribly. Like a lot of putts didn’t have a chance to go in the hole. I don’t know why it was different today on the greens.”
Ji had a 67 to match Salas (69) and Kim (69) at 11-under 205.
“Rough is really hard out there, so I try to keep in my fairway and try to keep it on the green,” Ji said. “I really focus on that.”
Salas had a chance to pull away, but missed birdie putts of 1 1/2 feet on 16 and 2 1/2 feet on the par-5 17th.
“I will admit there were a little nerves in there,” said Salas, the former Southern California player from Azusa. “It’s been a while since I’ve been in this position. But I was having fun out there just kind of taking what I could get. Mix of luck and momentum going. A lot of could haves, but I’m not going to dwell on that. Just going to be fortunate to be in this position again and just give it my all tomorrow.”
Anna Nordqvist had a 66 to top the group at 9 under.
Top-ranked Shanhan Feng (69) and Lydia Ko (70) were four strokes back at 7 under. Inbee Park, coming off a victory last week in the Founders Cup in Phoenix, was 6 under after a 68. Singapore winner Michelle Wie had a 68 to get to 5 under.
Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., was the top Canadian at 4 under after a third round of 73. Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., was at 2 under after shooting 74 on Saturday.
Henderson enters weekend with share of 15th at Kia Classic
CARLSBAD, Calif. _ Cristie Kerr shot an 8-under 64 on Friday in the Kia Classic to take a five-stroke lead into the weekend.
The 40-year-old Kerr had eight birdies in her second straight bogey-free round to reach 13-under 131 at rain-softened Aviara.
“I like winning. I like challenging myself,” Kerr said. “Definitely doesn’t get any easier as you get older with the travel and recovery time. I got up this morning and I’m like, ‘Man, why does my hamstring hurt?’ From working around this hilly golf course. The golf ball doesn’t know an age. I’ve always said that. As long as I stay hungry, going to just keep playing.”
She has 20 LPGA Tour victories, winning at Aviara in 2015. She won twice last year and helped the U.S. beat Europe in her ninth Solheim Cup appearance.
“It’s tough as you get older just being fresh and rested,” Kerr said. “I put more focus into that as I’ve gotten older. I still practice, but off the course I try to get more rest.”
Lizette Salas, In-Kyung Kim, Hee Young Park and Caroline Hedwall were tied for second. Salas shot 67, Kim 69, and Park and Hedwall 70.
“I really like this golf course. I really like the environment,” said Salas, the former University of Southern California player from Azusa. “My family gets to come out. So much confidence at the beginning of the week, and definitely showed the first two days.
Jeong Eun Lee was 7 under after a 69, and defending ANA champion So Yeon Ryu had a 70 to get to 6 under.
Canada’s Brooke Henderson (70) Ariya Jutanugarn (72) and 2016 winner Lydia Ko (71) were 5 under. Shanshan Feng (68) was another stroke back, and Singapore winner Michelle Wie (72) was 1 under.
The only other Canadian to make the cut was Maude-Aimee Leblanc at 4 under.
Lexi Thompson was 2 over after a 74, making the cut on the number in the final event before the major ANA Inspiration next week at Mission Hills.
Kerr opened with birdies on the par-5 10th and par-3 11th, added birdies on the par-4 16th, 18th and second, and ran off three in a row on the par-3 sixth, par-4 seventh and par-5 eighth.
“I don’t think you can fall asleep on one shot,” Kerr said. “It’s a really good golf course. I think I play better on courses that demand the focus, so I think that’s why I’ve played well here in the past. … I’m trying not to put limits on myself right now. I’ve got some good things going on with my swing.”
She has long been one best putters and green-readers in the world.
“I can see the subtleties that a lot of people can’t,” Kerr said. “It’s a gift from God being able to do that. I’ve always had that, so I’m lucky.”
Laura Davies withdrew after an opening 82. The 54-year-old Davies tied for second last week in the Founders Cup in Phoenix, playing through painful left Achilles and calf problems.
Canada’s LeBlanc tied for 9th after first round of Founders Cup
PHOENIX – Jessica Korda had 240 yards to the front of the 15th green Thursday morning in the chilly first round of the Founders Cup. She reached for driver – and caddie Colin Cann didn’t stop her.
While she often hits driver off the deck at home in Florida, she hadn’t attempted it in competition.
“It’s just if my caddie has a heart attack or not,” Korda joked.
The lanky American spared her looper’s ticker with a shot to 15 feet.
“I think the crowd enjoyed it more than I did, but I did think it was really cool,” said Korda, making her third start following off-season jaw surgery.
She settled for birdie on the par 5 – her fifth in the first six holes – after the eagle try lipped out.
“I was really upset, because I was like, ‘That would’ve been so cool,”’ Korda said. “What did I do after that? Nothing. I didn’t do anything after that.”
She did make one more birdie at Desert Ridge, but closed with two of her three bogeys in a 3-under 69 that left her two strokes behind leaders Karine Icher and Chella Choi. Ariya Jutanugarn, playing alongside Korda and defending champion Anna Nordqvist, was a shot back with Inbee Park, Lizette Salas, Cydney Clanton, Mariajo Uribe and Hee Young Park.
Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., was the low Canadian, shooting a 3-under 69 to tie for ninth. Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., and Quebec City’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay were tied for 61st at even-par 72. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp was 3-over 75 to sit 117th.
Canadian @maleblancgolf sits tied for 9th after the first round of the @LPGAfounders ???? pic.twitter.com/WetaElo0fp
— CP Women’s Open (@cpwomensopen) March 16, 2018
Korda won three weeks ago in Thailand in her return from the surgery, which corrected a severe overbite.
“It’s been difficult,” said Korda, the daughter of former tennis champion Petr Korda and sister of fellow tour player Nelly Korda. “I didn’t know when I was going to be able to come back.”
Though she no longer has constant headaches, she’s still sore and fighting a head cold – all more difficult in the cold and wind.
“If you guys are going numb, just think about how my lips are turning blue,” she joked.
Korda has four straight top-10 finishes, tying for third and second in her final two events last year before the surgery and following the victory in Thailand with a tie for 10th in Singapore. She has worked hard to improve her short game, focusing on her chipping.
“I’m not afraid to miss a green,” Korda said. “I used to get so frustrated missing greens because I was like that’s an automatic bogey. I knew how hard I would have to work just to make par. … It was really bad. It was like really, really, really bad. If I was 40 yards out, I would probably want to putt it.”
Nelly Korda helped mother Regina Rajchrtova – also a former professional tennis player – care for Jessica.
“She was drooling, obviously, because she couldn’t feel the bottom half of her face,” Nelly said. “Taking off her clothes was a bit difficult because she didn’t have any centre of gravity, so she would fall over. It was definitely hard to see her at that stage.”
The 19-year-old Nelly had a 72 in the group behind her sister. She tied for second in Singapore, a stroke behind Michelle Wie. The Kordas’ brother, 17-year-old Sebastian, won the Australian Open junior tennis title in January and is the top-ranked junior in the world.
Icher bogeyed Nos. 15 and 18 after playing the first 14 holes in 7 under.
“With the wind picking up, it’s a little bit hard,” Icher said.
The 39-year-old Frenchwoman birdied five of her first eight holes.
“The fairway doesn’t roll at all and big rough,” Icher said. “Last year, we had much more roll off the fairway and no rough. And the wind. The wind and the temperature. Usually in Phoenix we play in the 90s, so it’s a different course. We have to adapt.”
Choi also finished with a bogey.
“It was windy and tough out there, but every player in same condition,” Choi said.
Nordqvist, a Swede who played at Arizona State, closed with a bogey for a 69. Fourth-ranked Sung Hyun Park also had a 69.
Wie opened with a 70 in the afternoon.
“It was a grind,” Wie said. “This course, generally, you feel like you have to shoot 10-under par every day.”
Lydia Ko had five bogeys in a 74.
Team Canada’s Brittany Marchand signs with adidas Golf
WOODBRIDGE, Ont. – adidas Golf, a worldwide leader in golf apparel and footwear, announced today the signing of Brittany Marchand as she is coming off her most successful season as a professional. Marchand’s contract includes her wearing the 3-Stripes’ industry-leading performance apparel, footwear and headwear as she takes her game to the next level.
Since turning pro in 2015, Marchand has had five top-ten finishes on the Symetra Tour and picked up her first victory at the 2017 PHC Classic. The Team Young Pro Squad member enters 2018 with conditional status on the LPGA and will play a mixed schedule between Symetra Tour and LPGA events. Marchand was one of two Canadians to play through the weekend at the 2017 CP Women’s Open and provided much excitement at the Manulife Classic, where she was tied for 9th heading into Sunday.
#TeamCanada Young Pro Squad member @Britt_Marchand signs with @adidasGolfca ????
Read ➡️ https://t.co/6kh523EXbV pic.twitter.com/hrlj75V0e5
— Golf Canada (@TheGolfCanada) March 14, 2018
“I’m very excited to join team adidas for the upcoming season! I’m proud to be amongst the best players in the world and to wear such an iconic brand. I wore adidas in college at NC State, I know the brand well and I’m thrilled to wear it again. It feels great to have the support of adidas Canada and the global team as I start my career on the LPGA tour!”
“We are very excited to have Brittany join team adidas, and we look forward to supporting her journey as a professional,” said Lesley Hawkins, general manager, adidas Golf. “Brittany joins a marquee roster of adidas Golf LPGA Tour athletes, which includes Paula Creamer, Jessica Korda, and 2017 Major Winner Danielle Kang”.
Henderson ties for 2nd at Women’s World Championship
SINGAPORE – Canadian Brooke Henderson closed out another strong performance with a bogey-free 67 on Sunday to share 2nd place at the Women’s World Championship.
Sunday marked the second-straight bogey-free round for the Smiths Falls, Ont., product, who notched her third top-10 performance in four events this LPGA season.
Henderson birdied four of her first eight holes to move up the leaderboard but could not get another birdie putt to drop in until the final hole when it was too late for her to catch the champion Michelle Wie.
A bogey-free final round for @BrookeHenderson at @HSBC_Sport!
Watch highlights: pic.twitter.com/EMBhCxYoe0
— LPGA (@LPGA) March 4, 2018
Michelle Wie holed a 36-foot putt from off the green on the final hole to win the championship, her first LPGA tournament since the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open.
With four players in contention to win on the last hole, Wie managed to separate herself from the pack when she drained her lengthy birdie putt on the 72nd hole at the Sentosa Golf Club for a final round of 7-under 65 to finish at 17-under 271.
The 28-year-old Wie, who led the tournament after three rounds a year ago before fading on the last day, leaped into the air and clenched her fist in celebration as the ball disappeared into the bottom of the cup.
But she still faced an anxious wait before being declared the champion.
“Winning is everything. I mean, there is no better feeling than when you think you sink that winning putt. It’s a high, for sure,” Wie said.
“You go out there, and it’s this feeling that gets you going. It’s this feeling that makes you practice. It’s that winning putt that makes you practice for hours and hours and hours, and even the hard times, it gets you going back. You know that good feeling is on the other side.”
Third-round leader Nelly Korda parred her last 8 holes in a row. The 19-year-old, who only joined the LPGA Tour last year, hit a superb approach into the 18th to set up a birdie opportunity that would have forced a playoff but missed her 8-foot putt and settled for a final-round 71.
“I had a bunch of putts that were really close and a lot of them lipped and burned edges. It definitely hurts, but that’s golf,” Korda said.
“There’s going to be another tournament. There’s going to be another feeling like this. Just have to keep going forward”.
Danielle Kang, last year’s Singapore winner, parred her last 14 holes and was unable to drain a longer birdie putt on the last to miss out on a playoff as she closed with a 70. Korda and Kang finished in a four-way tie for second at 16-under, alongside Jenny Shin (65) and Brooke Henderson (67).
“I couldn’t capitalize on those holes, which was kind of disappointing,” Kang said. “But other than that, struck the ball well and I hung in there. So she (Wie) dropped the bomb on the last. I heard it from a hole back.”
Shin held the outright lead when she teed off at the last after reeling off eight birdies between the sixth and 16th holes, but she dropped back to 16-under when she made her only bogey of the day on the final hole.
“The nerves got me, maybe,” Shin said. “Not sure if I would have made that mistake on many other holes. Oh, well.”
Plagued by injuries since capturing her first major at Pinehurst, North Carolina in 2014, Wie started Sunday’s final round five strokes off the pace and needing to shoot low after Sei Young Kim set the bar high, flirting with a 59 before settling for a course record of 10-under 62.
Wie made a strong start with three birdies on the front nine then added three more in her first five holes after the turn before saving her best for last when the pressure was at its most suffocating.
“It’s been a tough journey since 2014. I think it’s been kind of well documented. You know, I’ve had some injuries, had a really bad year, just lost a lot of confidence,” Wie said.
“But I’m just really proud of myself for pulling myself out of it. I felt like I had a good year last year, a year where I built confidence, and I just want to keep building confidence from there.”
Hamilton, Ont., native Alena Sharp carded a final-round 76 to finish the tournament at 8 over par in a tie for 60th.
Henderson surges into tie for 3rd on moving day in Singapore
SINGAPORE – Canadian Brooke Henderson came out of the gate firing in Saturday’s third round and never looked back, carding a bogey-free 65 to surge into a tie for 3rd at the Women’s World Championship.
Henderson, a Smiths Falls, Ont., product, climbed 12 spots on the strength of seven birdies to play her way into Sunday’s final group at the Sentosa Golf Club.
“It was a great day out there, a lot of birdies. I had nine putts on the back nine, which is really awesome, especially for me, so I’m really happy about that,” said Henderson. “Just a great day and got up-and-down when I needed to and climbed the leaderboard as much as I did today, I’m very happy on moving day.”
The 20-year-old trails the 54-hole leader Nelly Korda by four strokes heading into the finale.
“Yeah, I mean, hopefully I’m within striking distance going into tomorrow, and just keep doing what I’ve been doing all week, try it make as many birdies as possible and get off to a fast start,” added Henderson. “There’s a lot of birdie opportunities, especially the first five holes. So just get off to a quick start and see what happens after that.”
.@BrookeHenderson cruises into contention after firing a round of 65 ?
Check out her highlights here: #HWWC pic.twitter.com/UKMfOpZmxS
— LPGA (@LPGA) March 3, 2018
Korda, whose sister Jessica won the LPGA Tour event in Thailand last week, leapfrogged 36-hole leader Danielle Kang on the heels of a 7-under 65. Kang sits one back in solo possession of 2nd place.
Korda will look to become the second sister pairing in history to both win on the LPGA Tour.
“It would definitely be really exciting, but I can’t think about it too much. I’m just going to relax and take it shot by shot.
Henderson, Korda and Kang will tee off on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. local time.
Canadian Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Ont., jumped to a red-hot start with a 6-under front nine, before slipping on the back with four bogeys, leaving her with a 70 on the day (-2). Sharp sits in a tie for 57th at 4 over par.
Click here for full scoring.
Henderson tied for 15th at mid-way point of World Championship
SINGAPORE – The distraction of a chipped tooth proved to be no problem for Danielle Kang as she shot an 8-under 64 to take a four-stroke lead at the halfway stage of the Women’s World Championship on Friday.
Kang, who won last year’s Women’s PGA Championship for her first major title, equaled the course record at the Sentosa Golf Club to lead the LPGA tournament at 12-under 132.
“Never too bad to tie a course record,” Kang said. “That’s interesting to hear. I like that.”
Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., carded an even-par 72 in Friday’s second round, leaving her in a tie for 15th. The 20-year-old will give chase to the leaders on moving day, teeing off at 8:30 a.m. local time.
Hamilton’s Alena Sharp is T62 at 6 over par (75-75).
Nelly Korda, whose sister Jessica won the LPGA Tour event in Thailand last week, had a 66 to be tied for second with fellow American Alex Marina (67) while Minjee Lee (66), Cristie Kerr (67) and Chella Choi (69) were a further stroke back at 7-under.
Kang, who discovered she had broken a tooth after falling asleep while stretching before shooting a 68 in Thursday’s opening round, had eight birdies, four on the front nine and another four after rounding the turn, to post her second straight bogey-free round.
“(My) game is coming easy right now. There are lots of birdies out there. I’m more focused on being present and just hitting the shots. I’m hitting it well, rolling the putt well. So I’m not really worried about the results of how those shots come out. It feels like just a cruising day.”
Kang said her cracked tooth was not painful, but she could still feel it each time she swung the club.
“Every time I hit a shot, I’m like, it keeps scratching – it’s raw here, but it’s OK. I just don’t chew on this side. I’ll be fine,” she said.
“My dentist told me, I’ve chipped another one before, and he said, ‘You don’t break it at that moment’. It’s been broken and it just chips off. So I don’t know how it broke.”
Korda birdied four of her last six holes as she bids to emulate her siblings by winning tournaments this year. Apart from Jessica winning in Thailand with a tournament-record total of 25-under last week, their brother Sebastian won the Australian Open junior boys’ singles tennis title in Melbourne in January.
Their father is 1998 Australian Open tennis champion Petr Korda.
“We obviously have a little bit of a sibling rivalry, but everything is very friendly,” Korda said. “ She (Jessica) does make me want to be a better player, and seeing her win last week after the tough off-season she’s had was definitely very inspiring, and hopefully I can step my game up this week and take it home, but we’ll see.”
Jessica Korda (70) reached the halfway point at 6-under, level with Austin Ernst (67), Lizette Salas (67), Charley Hull (68) and Ha Na Jang (68), while several other big names lost ground.
Top-ranked Shanshan Feng finished at 4-under after a second consecutive 70 while Michelle Wie lost ground with a 73 and overnight leader Jennifer Song stumbled with a 75, including a quadruple-bogey eight on the par-4 third.
Henderson trails by 3 after first round of Women’s World Championship
SINGAPORE – Jennifer Song shot an opening 7-under 65 to take a two-stroke lead at the Women’s World Championship on Thursday.
The 28-year-old American reeled off seven birdies at the Sentosa Golf Club in a round that was interrupted for two hours by lightning.
Michelle Wie and Ji Eun-Hee (both 67) were tied for second while Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., and eight others finished a further stroke back at 4 under.
Henderson, 20, collected seven birdies against three bogeys to sit tied for 4th.
.@BrookeHenderson shoots a first round of 68 at #HWWC and sits three shots off the lead! Watch highlights from her day: pic.twitter.com/fe1mSuMUEg
— LPGA (@LPGA) March 1, 2018
Top-ranked Shanshan Feng (70) bogeyed the last hole, while No. 2 Lexi Thompson (75) struggled in making five bogeys.
Alena Sharp of Hamilton was in a large group at 3 over par.
Still chasing her first LPGA win eight years after turning professional, Song took the outright lead when she made five birdies in an eight-hole stretch.
“At times it has been a great struggle because I know I can win out here, but I just never have been given that chance yet,” Song said. “But I kept believing that someday it will happen. I think that’s the reason why myself and other golfers are still grinding because we believe that we can win out here.”
Wie has not won since she captured her first major at the 2014 Women’s U.S. Open. She led in Singapore last year after the first and third rounds.
“I made a lot of birdies from the trees today, so that’s a plus,” Wie said.
Wie looked to be in discomfort in her final few holes, shaking her left wrist, which was already heavily bandaged, but said it was nothing unusual for her.
“It looks a lot worse than it actually is. It’s really not that bad,” she said. “My wrist, I just have arthritis and I just try to work through that. You know, it’s been a little bit of a struggle but I’ve got a good game plan going, more preventative more than anything. But it just looked a lot worse than it actually is.”
Ji also bogeyed her last hole but managed to stay clear of a chasing pack of nine players at 68 – Henderson, Ariya Jutanugarn, Danielle Kang, Chun In Gee, Jessica Korda, Madelene Sagstrom, Chella Choi, Su Oh and Park Sung Hyun.
Korda, who won in Thailand last week, spoiled her round with a double-bogey 5 on the seventh while Kang managed to post a bogey-free round despite a freak accident that broke her tooth before she teed off.
“I was stretching out on the floor and next thing I know, I slept 30 minutes,” Kang said. “I broke a tooth. Call the dentist on range. It’s all good.”
Henderson finishes strong with T7 result in Thailand
CHONBURI, Thailand – Florida’s Jessica Korda set a tournament record to win the LPGA Thailand at the Siam Country Club Pattaya Old Course on Sunday.
Korda held off Lexi Thompson and local hope Moriya Jutanugarn for a four-stroke win after a final-round 67 for an overall total of 25 under 263, smashing the previous mark of 22 under set by Amy Yang of South Korea in 2017.
“It’s an incredible thing to be able to win again. I haven’t won in two years. And who knows? It’s so hard out here. These girls are so good. I mean, look at the scoreboard. I had to shoot 25 under just to win,” said Korda after claiming her fifth LPGA win.
Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., shot a fourth-round 67 to finish the tournament 16 under and tied for seventh. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (71) was 3 over.
It was Korda’s first trophy since winning in Malaysia in 2015.
Ranked No. 26, Korda had surgery on an overbite in December and was playing in her first tournament since November.
“I just came with no expectations after surgery. It’s really hard for me to move. All this stuff is just still really hard, but I’m really, really happy that I chose to come back in this event exactly where I started my rookie year in 2011. I don’t think I could have asked for a better win,” she said.
Thompson, who won here in 2016, turned in a bogey free round that included eight birdies to sign off with a 64 for a 21 under 267.
“I had to just fire at everything today and make a lot of birdies because Jessica has been playing amazing, along with a lot of other people. So that’s what I did. I just went after it,” said No. 4-ranked Thompson.
Moriya, the 2013 Rookie of the Year, almost caught up with Korda after nine holes when she closed to within two shots, but her challenge faded and she failed to become the first Thai winner of the tournament. Moriya finished with a final-round 67 for an overall 21 under 267.
“I wasn’t sad at all. It was fun playing with Jessica. It’s been a fun week. I already tried my best. Whatever happened this week is cool,” said Moriya, who has yet to win on the LPGA tour.
Henderson tied for 9th after moving day in Thailand
CHONBURI, Thailand – Jessica Korda kept an eye on her younger sister while firing a 4-under 68 in the third round of the LPGA Thailand on Saturday to lead Moriya Jutanugarn by four strokes.
A day after a course-record 62 at Siam Country Club, Korda fought back from a bogey on the front nine with five birdies to finish on 20-under 196 overall. The American was on the 18th hole when concerns over lightning suspended play for 30 minutes before play resumed.
“(I) was playing really well at the end of the season, but I haven’t been in this (leading) position. Being back, it just takes you a little bit of time,” said the 24-year-old Korda, who won her fifth and last title at the LPGA Malaysia in 2015.
Her 19-year-old sister Nelly Korda (65) is eight shots off the lead.
“I’m definitely a leaderboard watcher. I love seeing her name up there,” said Jessica Korda, who was playing her first tournament since jaw surgery.
Propelled by eight birdies and an eagle on the par-4 No. 14, with three bogeys, Jutanugarn signed off with a 65 and a total of 16-under 200.
“Everybody has the chance to win as all the top players are here this week,” said Jutanugarn, who has a chance to become the first Thai winner in her home tournament.
Australian Minjee Lee (68) is third on 15-under 201, followed by former top-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn (65) on 202. Lexi Thompson (69), the 2016 champion, is a stroke further back. Michelle Wie (69) is tied for sixth.
Brooke Henderson (70) of Smiths Falls, Ont., is tied for ninth at 11 under while Hamilton’s Alena Sharp (72) was 4 over.
Brittany Lincicome was in second place after the second round, four shots behind Jessica Korda, but the American dropped down the board and is tied for ninth after a 73.