South Korea’s Hae-Ran Choi capitalized on a potential upset win at the LPGA Tour‘s Daytona Open ($1.75 million purse).
In the third round of the tournament at Highland Meadows Golf Club (Par 71) in Sylvania, Ohio (U.S.), the South Korean carded seven birdies against one bogey to cut her lead to six strokes overnight.
With a 13-under-par 200 midway through the tournament, Hae-ran is in sole possession of second place, three shots behind leader Channetee Wannasen (Thailand – 16-under 197), and will look to pull off an upset on the final day.
Wannasen won the Portland Classic last September after qualifying on Monday. Her best finish this year was a tie for third at the Mizuho Americas Open in May.
Hae Ran Hwang, the LPGA Tour’s Rookie of the Year for the 2023 season, is looking for her second victory after winning her first at the Arkansas Championship last October.
Despite a bogey on the par-5 seventh hole, Hae-Ran was two strokes off the pace at the halfway point and played a flawless second round, carding four birdies without a bogey.
“It was a long putt on a tricky hole,” Hae-Ran said, ”and I need a lot of birdies (to win), so I hope to continue playing as well tomorrow as I did today.”
Jang was no slouch either.
The South Korean carded seven birdies without a bogey to move into a tie for sixth place with a 10-under-par 203 total.
“I hit the greens better and putted well,” Jang said, ”and I will continue to play the same way tomorrow.”
Choi Hye-jin, who was among the top players in the first and second rounds, dropped two strokes with four birdies and two bogeys to finish in a tie for ninth place at 9-under 204.
Defending champion Lin Grant (Sweden) shot an 11-under-par 202 for a tie for third place with Lin Shiyu (China). 안전놀이터