LPGA - LA Open 2018 - Round 3

LPGA 2018 Hugel-JTBC LA Open - Round 3

At the end of the third round of the inaugural LPGA LA Open, Thai golfer Moriya Jutanugarn heads the leaderboard, sharing her top placing with Korea's Jin Young Ko. At this point in the tournament they are both on 9-under 204. Following on 7-under 206 is former World Number 1 and winner of seven major championships Inbee Park, also from Korea. American Marina Alex is tied on fourth with the third top Korean in the tournament, Eun Hee Ji, both on 6-under 207.

Moriya Jutanugarn is looking for her first win. She has played on the LPGA Tour since 2013. Her sister Ariya won the Women's British Open in 2016, becoming the first golfer, male or female, from Thailand to win a major championship and she attained Number 1 ranking in Women's World Golf in June 2017.

Jin Young Ko was runner up when Inbee Park won the 2015 Women's British Open. In February 2018 she won the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open.

When Jutanugarn began the third round with a double bogey at the first hole, then another on the 6th, she could have lost confidence and undermined the rest of her game. She did not allow that to happen and kept on steadily moving forward. Her calm perseverance paid off with a birdie on the par-4 8th and an eagle on the par-4 14th, and her path was clear ahead.

Both Jutanugarn and Ko hit birdies at the par-3 18th hole. Ko's was a tip-in from less than a foot away; Jutanugarn's was a long shot.

“Today was kind of a pretty rough day for me with not a very good start and trying to come back,” Jutanugarn said. “I just try to play my game and be patient out there.”

The Hugel-JTBC LA Open is a new event this year. It is held at the Wilshire Country Club, in the Hollywood area of LA.