KAPOLEI, Hawaii (AP) – Su-Yeon Jang heads into the final round of the Lotte Championship on Saturday playing bogey-free golf, finishing the third round with a 7-under 65 for a three-stroke lead.
The 22-year-old sponsor invite from South Korea took the lead during the completion of the rain-delayed second round Friday morning and opened a cushion Friday afternoon. She had a 17-under 199 total – two strokes off the tournament record for 72 holes – at Ko Olina Golf Club.
Cristie Kerr and Alena Sharp, the 35-year-old Canadian looking for her first LPGA Tour victory, were tied for second. Kerr had a 62 to tie Lizette Salas’ tournament record in 2013. Kerr, who turns 40 this year, played the back nine in 29, with birdies on seven of her last eight holes.
“I was just kind of being myself,” said Kerr, who had eight putts on her last eight holes. “Yeah, everybody says being in the zone. I just kind of stayed out of my own way today, which is what I have to do to have a chance tomorrow.
“I stayed in the moment and started walking them in.”