SAMMAMISH, Wash. (KeynoteUSA) — Amy Yang shot a 1-under 71 Saturday to take a two-stroke lead into the final round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship as she seeks her first major victory.
Yang shot a 7-under 209 at Sahalee Country Club, holding steady around the greens on the tree-lined course that requires maximum accuracy and precision.
“I grew up watching so many great players in the past, and I saw them win all the major championships,” Yang said. “I dreamed of playing here thanks to them. I work hard for this.
“It will mean a lot, but we still have 18 more holes left and a lot of golf left for a major championship.”
The 34-year-old South Korean player has five victories on the LPGA Tour, the last in November at the Tour Championship.
Lauren Hartlage and Miyu Yamashita were tied for second place at 5 under par.
Hartlage shot his second straight 69 in the only bogey-free round of the day. The American has gone three seasons without winning on the LPGA Tour.
“I’ve never been in this position before and this is something I dreamed about as a kid,” Hartlage said. “So it’s really amazing to be in this position and see how it goes and learn from every day, every round.”
Yamashita, of Japan, made his second consecutive 70. He has won 11 times on the Japanese tour.
“I’m not thinking much about winning,” Yamashita said through a translator. “I’m just concentrating on every take.”
Sarah Schmelzel, the American who shared the second-round lead with Yang, shot 74 to drop to 4 under par.
First-round leader Lexi Thompson had a 73 to tie for fifth place at 3 under with Lilia Vu (68), Caroline Inglis (69), Jin Young (73) and Hinako Shibuno (73). Inglis is from Vancouver, Washington.
Thompson, 29, recently announced that this season will be his last playing a full schedule. Last week in Michigan, he lost in a playoff to Vu in the Meijer LPGA Classic.
“There was some tough bowling and of course the golf course is the golf course, so it’s tough,” Thompson said.
Vu had the best round of the day with his 68.
Yang went 39 holes without a bogey before dropping a shot at the par-4 eighth. He recovered quickly, reached 8 feet at the par-3 ninth and made the putt to get back to 6 under and take the solo lead.
Yang increased his lead to two strokes, hitting the green in two on the par-5 11th for a two-putt birdie. She dropped another shot on the par-4 16th, her third bogey of the tournament, but followed up with a 36-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th.
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