FILE–Lydia Ko of New Zealand. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images/AFP
BOCA RATON, FLORIDA—Lydia Ko ground out a level par 72 in blustery conditions on Saturday to seize a two-stroke lead going into the final round of Ladies Professional Golf Association at Boca Rio where Filipino-Japanese Yuka Saso lurks four shots behind and still clinging on to a solid shot.
Despite cold and windy weather at the Boca Raton resort, Ko gutted out 16 pars against a lone birdie and bogey to be at 11-under 205 after 54 holes.
“To finish even par after a tough, grindy day, I think it was a solid day in the office,” Ko said. “Overall my game wasn’t as sharp, but when the conditions are tough, it’s difficult.”
Saso matched Ko’s 72, rescuing her round with birdies on Nos. 12 and 18.
“We knew it’s gonna be windy but not this much,” said Saso, who won gold for the Philippines in the 2018 Asian Games and represented the country in the Tokyo Olympics last year. “But it was fun, it was different golf but I really learned a lot and it’s good.”
American Danielle Kang, who led by two at one stage, battled to a 74 to be two shots behind.
“Today was rough,” Kang said. “I checked out a little bit for the back nine. I did everything I can to stay in contention and gave myself a chance.
“It was really tough out there. There was a lot of gusting shots and I never missed so many putts by so far in a while.”
On a day when the scoring average soared above 75, Celine Boutier fired a bogey-free, the day’s low round, to be another shot back. —AFP