Ryu, Saigo share 3rd-round lead in Chevron Championship

THE WOODLANDS, Texas (AP) — Haeran Ryu capped a front-nine run in the Chevron Championship with a chip-in birdie on the ninth hole, then held on in tricky wind conditions Saturday for a share of the third-round lead with Mao Saigo.

On a gusty, sunny day at The Club at Carlton Woods in the first women’s major tournament of the year, Ryu parred the final nine holes for a 4-under 68. Saigo followed with 69 to match Ryu at 9-under 207.

“The back nine was so challenging for me because the wind started a little more stronger and the pin positions were so tough,” Ryu said. “And my putter — almost in the hole but always go next to the hole and then make some easy pars. But, yeah, it was so hard today.”

Ryu opened with a 65 on Thursday for share of the lead with Yan Liu, then shot a 74 to fall two strokes back. On Saturday, after a bogey on the third hole, she birdied No. 4 and ran off four straight on Nos. 6-9. The 24-year-old South Korean player has two LPGA Tour victories.

Saigo is winless on the LPGA Tour. The 23-year-old Japanese player was the tour's rookie of the year last season. 

“I just need to focus on my golf game, just one by one,” Saigo said. “And not only golf game, but try to control my mental, too.”

Saigo parred the last five holes after chipping in for birdie on the par-5 13th to get to 9 under. She also chipped in for birdie on No. 6.

“The course condition was pretty hard here today, so it was pretty difficult to make birdies, so I kind of struggled,” Saigo said. “Two of them were chip-in birdies from outside, so I was pretty lucky.”

Lindy Duncan was a stroke back after a 70. Fellow American Sarah Schmelzel had a 71 to join Liu (72) at 7 under.

“This is the biggest stage for us,” said Duncan, seeking her first LPGA Tour victory at age 34. “The toughest courses, the toughest tests and the most pressure, so yeah, just got to go out there and just play your game.”

Liu, the Chinese player who took a one-shot edge into the weekend, dropped out of a three-way tie for the lead with a double bogey on the par-3 17th.

Playing into the wind on the 144-yard hole, she hit short into a bunker, then left her second in an awkward position in thick rough above the bunker. She chipped 20 feet past and two-putted.

Lexi Thompson topped the group at 6 under after a 70. The 30-year-old Florida player retired from full-time play at the end of last season. She won the 2014 event — then the Kraft Nabisco Championship — at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, California.

“I’m looking forward to tomorrow and seeing what I can bring,” Thompson said.

Top-ranked Nelly Korda was tied for 31st at even par in her title defense. She had consecutive double bogeys on her second nine in a 71. Winless this season, she won last year for the last of her record-tying five straight victories. 

Brooke Henderson (75) of Smiths Falls, Ont., was tied for 58th at 4 over and Hamilton's Alena Sharp (77) was a shot back of her fellow Canadian, tied for 68th.

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