Day three of the CPKC Women’s Open in Alberta, Canada served up more than it’s share of action on moving day. Haeran Ryu takes the overnight lead into Sunday by a single stroke from Lauren Coughlin, only to be upstaged by a stunning 61 by Japan’s Mao Saigo, a new tournament low for 18-holes.
Leona Maguire’s travails continued as the Cavan woman’s 76 saw her drop further back the order as Sunday looms.
The front-nine of Earl Grey GC was Maguire’s nemesis on day three, with four bogeys on her first five holes putting her on the defensive early doors. The twice Solhiem Cup player showed her mettle to birdie the three following holes from the 6th to the 8th to recover most of the damage and a run of five pars followed to give hope. Not to be however as another dropped on the par-5 14th was topped off with a disappointing double on the 18th to round off her day on 76 and leaving her sit +7 and tied for 67th.
The story of the day undoubtedly came from the 22-year-old Japanese rookie, Mao Saigo who dismantled Earl Grey GC on moving day with her sensational 11-under 61 round. This breaks the previous tournament record set by Song Hee-Kim that has stood for 1 years. Birdie on her first settled the nerves as Saigo went on to turn bogey free on four-under for the day. Even she couldn’t have expected what was to come on her return leg, Eagle on the par-4 10th and five birdies in her next seven topped of a dream day for the rookie. She sits on -8 overall and five back from the third-round leader Ryu.
“I’m very proud of myself because that was best round probably since I started playing golf,” said an elated Saigo after her round.
“The wind wasn’t blowing much so I was trying to make birdies on par-5s and try to keep my strengths with my iron shots. I was able to do that, so I was very proud.” Underscoring the confidence of the Japanese in her rookie ear she went on, “Just because I am rookie I wasn’t going to be intimidated. I just wanted to play my own game, and to be able to shoot this score, I’m very happy about it.”
Lase week’s runner-up at the Dana Open, Korea’s Ryu is looking to go one better this week as she takes a single stroke lead into Sunday after her 64, only bettered by Saigo on Saturday. She would overtake Coughlin for that lead and the pair will face off in the final group on Sunday.
“I think because really good finish in the final round last week, I have more confidence for my everything for the golf,” said Ryu, who has seven top-10 finishes this season, the most of anyone on Tour without a win. “Now, I just trust myself and really good score (today), I keep going, I think.”
Maguire is first out on Sunday with Muni He, the pair taking to the course at 9.10AM local time and she can afford to attack this course on day four to gain some confidence in the lead up to Paris next week. Mao Saigo and Rose Zhang make up the penultimate group at 2.30 just ten minutes ahead of the leading pair of Ryu and Coughlin. Another hot round from the Japanese rookie could see her yet scare the top of the scoreboard on Sunday in Calgary
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