LEONA MAGUIRE WILL start the final round at the LPGA Seri Pak Championship four shots off the lead.
The Cavan native, who can secure a first top-10 finish of the year, is tied 12th on five-under par, four behind South Korean veteran Shin Ji-yai and America’s Alison Lee.
Maguire moved into contention with a brilliant 65 on Friday, but couldn’t maintain that momentum on Saturday as she closed with a bogey at the last for a one-over par 72.
She tees off for her final round in Los Angeles at 3.37pm alongside Lindy Duncan and Ayaka Furue, with Gabriela Ruffels joining Shin and Lee in the final group at 4.21pm.
Shin fired eight birdies — including five in a row from the third through the seventh holes – in a scintillating eight-under-par 63 to grab a share of the overnight lead, while Lee joined her a three-under-par 68.
They are two strokes clear of Australia’s Ruffels, Americans Nelly Korda and Malia Nam, and China’s defending champion Yin Ruoning.
See the full leaderboard here >Meanwhile, Pádraig Harrington has a seventh PGA Champions Tour title in his sights as he takes a one-shot lead into the final round at the Hoag Classic in Newport Beach, California.
Harrington started the day one shot back, but finished with two birdies and eagle in his last four holes for a four-under par 67 on Saturday, taking him to the top on 12-under par.
He’s one shot clear of Thongchai Jaidee, with Miguel Angel Jimenez and Paul Broadhurst sharing third on nine-under par.
Harrington, Jaidee and Jimenez tee off in the final group at 7.15pm Irish time.
See the full leaderboard here >At the Porsche Singapore Classic, Shane Lowry had to settle for a share of 29th place after his final-day charge evaporated on the back nine.
Lowry was five-under for his round through 11 holes, and just one shot off the lead, before a late slump saw him make four bogeys and one double bogey in his last seven holes.
The 2019 Open Champion finished with level-par 72, nine shots behind winner Jesper Svensson who landed his first tour victory by prevailing over Kiradech Aphibarnrat in a thrilling three-hole playoff.
Svensson started his final round five shots off the lead, but he stormed quickly to the turn in 30 before closing with an inward 33 to match the course record of nine-under-par 63.
The contest, however, was forced into sudden death after Thailand’s Kiradech sensationally sunk his eagle putt from 15 feet at the last to match Svensson on 17-under par.
Both players birdied and parred the first and second playoff holes respectively, but it was Svensson who eventually triumphed with a par after Kiradech bogeyed the third playoff hole.
See the full leaderboard here >– Additional reporting © AFP 2024
