Lydia Ko leads LPGA Singapore after third round, Charley Hull trails by one

Photo : AFP

Lydia Ko took the lead after the third round at the LPGA event in Singapore, finishing with a total score of 10-under 206 at the Tanjong course in Sentosa Golf Club. The 27-year-old golfer, originally from South Korea but representing New Zealand, had a strong performance despite making some mistakes. She finished her round with three bogeys but managed to recover with seven birdies, four of which came on the back nine.

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Charley Hull stayed close behind, just one stroke away from Ko, after carding a 68. She started well, making birdies on two of her first four holes. Jeeno Thitikul also made a strong move, recording the best round of the day with a 66. Her four birdies on the back nine helped her climb into third place, three strokes behind Ko.

A Lim Kim, who had led the tournament after the first two rounds, struggled on the third day. She posted a 73 and dropped to fourth place, four shots behind the leader. Meanwhile, defending champion Hannah Green played an impressive round of 67, moving 16 spots up the leaderboard and sitting five strokes behind Ko.

Reflecting on her performance, Ko acknowledged both her mistakes and her ability to recover. She expressed confidence in her game, saying, "I made a few mistakes, but I was able to bounce back with a few good birdies as well. It really doesn’t matter what the context is, as long as you can put a good score. Under the circumstances, I felt like I was playing really solid. Hopefully, these past few days will give me a good rhythm for tomorrow."

Ko is now aiming for her 23rd LPGA title and hopes to finally secure a victory in Singapore after 11 attempts. Her best finish at this tournament was in 2015 when she came in second place.

Hull, who is chasing her third LPGA win, remains focused on keeping her approach the same in the final round. "My mindset is going to be no different from literally the last three days," Hull said. "Just go out there, play golf, hole some putts, and have fun."

Hull also spoke about her upcoming final-round battle with Ko, expressing her excitement about playing alongside her. "I like playing with Lydia, she’s a really, really nice person, so down-to-earth, so kind," Hull said. "Just go out there, have a little chat, and just play golf."

The LPGA tournament in Singapore is the second of three events on the tour’s first Asian swing of the season. The final stop will be next week in Hainan Island, China.