SPRINGFIELD, N.J. — Irishwoman Leona Maguire two-putted for birdie at the final hole to take sole possession of the 54-hole lead at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship on Saturday at Baltusrol Golf Club.
Maguire, who entered the third round of the major with a one-shot lead, posted a 2-under-par 69 to get to 7-under 206. That broke a tie with South Korea’s Jenny Shin, who made five birdies to charge up the leaderboard and reach 6 under late in the day.
Shin matched the low round of the week with her bogey-free 66. Her lone win on the LPGA Tour came back in 2016, and she’s had just two top-10 finishes at majors.
Maguire, conversely, earned her second LPGA victory last week at the Meijer LPGA Classic and is ranked No. 12 in the world. She is the only player in the field to shoot all three rounds in the 60s.
Stephanie Meadow of Northern Ireland shot a 67 Saturday to move into third at 5 under. Lee-Anne Pace of South Africa (70) and Ruoning Yin of China (69) are tied at 4 under.
World No. 1 Jin Young Ko of South Korea made her move with a run of four birdies at Nos. 12-15. She shot a 69 and is tied at 3 under with Lauren Coughlin (68). Megan Khang (67), Mina Harigae (70), Japan’s Yuka Saso (69) and Xiyu Lin of China (73) are tied at 2 under.
Only two of the top 11 players through three rounds have won a major title — Ko and Saso.
Rose Zhang, the 20-year-old prodigy who won her first professional start earlier this month, gave herself a 3-foot eagle on the par-5 18th by hitting a 5-wood to reach the green in two. She shot her best round of the week, a 68, and is tied for 12th at 1 under.
–By Adam Zielonka, Field Level Media