After round three of the 70th KPMG Women's PGA Championship, Amy Yang maintains a two shot lead, with Major newbies and winners in the chasing pack
It's hard to believe that a player like Amy Yang is still in search of her first Major title, having been a professional for 17 years. The 2023 CME Group Tour Championship played a steady game on Saturday, keeping it simple to maintain her lead. Two bogies and three birdies, give her a two shot advantage heading into the final round of the 70th KPMG Women's PGA Championship.
The 34-year-old has been struggling with a tight back but put that aside during her third round:
"I mentioned that I'm hitting balls really well out there last three rounds. Yeah, but most important thing was how committed I was on each shot. Whenever or whatever I decide to hit, I try to not think about what's going to happen because it's very tight and playing tough out there. I just when I decide to hit, okay, let's hit this little fade off the tee. There is no doubt anything else than just hit that shot. I think I did that pretty well all through the round.
Watch round three highlights from the 70th KPMG Women's PGA Championship
The Korean will pull on previous Major experience but knows there is still a long way to go:
"I dreamed about playing out here because of them. I work hard for this. It'll mean a lot, but we still got 18 more holes out there and that's a lot of golf left for major championship. So just going to try to focus on each shot and just be patient."
First time Major winners
Two shots further back are two players who are also in search of their first Majors.
Miyu Yamashita may be an unfamiliar name to some LPGA fans, but the 11-time JLPGA Tour winner is definitely not to be discounted. Not only would this be her first Major, it is also her first appearance at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship.
Consistency has been key for the 22-year-old with three rounds of 71,70 and 70. This could prove very useful with the challenge associated with the final day of a Major.
"The course is pretty tough but I am going to enjoy the course and then play as usual and then do my best tomorrow."
Also at five-under-par is American Lauren Hartlage who finds herself in a position she isn't normally used to. With a win, the 26-year-old would make a Major her first LPGA victory. After an opening 73, Hartlage has shot two three-under-par rounds, with her being the only player to go bogey-free on Saturday.
"I don't think you're ever going to be completely comfortable out there. It's just managing your feelings and letting yourself stay in the moment and just know that I'm not going to be comfortable on the first tee tomorrow. Just accepting that and letting it play more freely out there.
"I'm super excited. Never been in this position before and this is something that I dreamed about growing up as a kid, so it's really awesome to be in this position and just kind of see how it goes and learn from every day, every round."
Lilia Vu makes her move
As well as Hartlage, two other players that made moves on Saturday were two-time Major Champion Lilia Vu and fellow American Caroline Inglis. With a 68 and 69 respectively, they sit a group and three-under-par with the likes of Major winners Jin Young Ko, Hinako Shibuno and Lexi Thompson. American Sarah Schmelzel, who was tied for the lead at the start of the day, had a disappointing two-over-par round and is one shot better at four-under-par.
British hopes had come to rest on Charley Hull's shoulder as she charged up the leaderboard on Saturday. At the turn, she was even for the day at one-under-par. Three birdies in a row followed at Hull moved in a tie for third. With two holes to go, many fans were looking ahead to a potential English charge on Sunday.
Unfortunately, the par 3 17th proved her undoing with a first shot into the water, chip onto the green and a three putt - treble bogey. A final par, meant that she signed for a level par 72 and she is now six shots back. After her round, she proved that she is only human:
"Well, truthfully, yesterday I hit a shot in the green 30 feet from the pin. Didn't think nothing of it. My mate yesterday goes, what happened to you on 17 yesterday? You nearly hit it in the water. I was like, no I didn't.
"Yeah, well, apparently you nearly hit in the water. I was like, no, I didn't. So got to the tee box and I'm thinking to myself, I never nearly hit in the water. Then I'm thinking about the water and just fatted it into the water. It's human."
We all know that Major Sundays are never straightforward. So with 18 holes to go on a challenging and intimidating course, with nerves and first Majors on the line, anything could happen and as Hull pointed out, they're only human.
View the full 70th KPMG Women's PGA Championship leaderboard here. Live coverage of the final round starts at 7:30pm BST on Sky Sports Golf.
Inspired by the third women's Major of the season? Why not come and watch the best players in the world at the AIG Women's Open this summer at St Andrews. Ticket prices start from £20.
