Yu Liu shot a 7-under par 65 on Saturday to take the lead at the Bank of Hope Founders Memorial. At 19-under for the tournament, she's one-shot clear of Carlota Ciganda.
Yu Liu shot a 7-under par 65 on Saturday to take the lead at the Bank of Hope Founders Memorial. At 19-under for the tournament, she's one-shot clear of Carlota Ciganda.
On the hunt for her first LPGA Tour title, Liu finished yesterday's round with back-to-back birdies after a stressful final-group pairing with top-ranked Sung Hyun Park. After three bogeys and a string of missed birdie chances, Park dropped four-shots behind at 15-under at the tournament that honours the 13 women who founded the LPGA Tour.
As Park dwindled down the leaderboard, Liu made her way up; She played the final four holes in 4-under, carding an eagle at the 15th and birdies at both 17 and 18 to reach 19-under. With Founders Marlene Bauer Hagge, Marilynn Smith and Shirley Spork looking on from beside the green, Liu holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the last to put her in a tie with Carlota Cignada.
With an eagle and three birdies in the final five holes, Ciganda shot 63 to match the best score of the week and finished one behind Liu at 18-under. A victory this weekend would see her become the second former Arizona State player to win the event after 2017 champion, Anna Nordqvist.
Hyo Joo Kim, Jin Young Ko, Lydia Ko and Women's Australian Open champion Nelly Korda are all tied with Park at 15-under with a cluster of players just behind at 13-under: Shanshan Feng, former winner Sei Young Kim, Jessica Korda, Mi Jung Hur, England's Bronte Law and compatriot Charlotte Thomas.
Image credit: Steve Dykes/Getty Images
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