SAN MARTIN, Calif. — When Lydia Ko first came to a U.S. Women’s Open four years ago, she was so nervous her hands were shaking.
Now with two major titles under her belt by age 19, Ko projects a picture of calmness on the golf course.
Ko birdied the 18th hole to cap a 2-under 70 in the third round Saturday that put her in the lead at the U.S. Women’s Open, bolstering her chance for her third major title in less than a year.
“I think nerves are good because it means you’re excited,” Ko said. “You’re ready. It means a lot to you. You’ve got to be able to control it.
But a little bit of nerves is always good. It can end up being a little bit of adrenaline.”
Whatever Ko is doing at the par-72 6,752-yard CordeValle Golf Club is working.
She became the youngest woman to win a major last year at the Evian Championship and followed that up by winning the ANA Inspiration this spring. Now she’s in contention for her first U.S. Open title after failing to make the top 10 in her first four appearances.
Ko has a one-shot lead over 2009 winner Eun Hee Ji and Sung Hyun Park. Brittany Lang and Amy Yang are two shots back at 5 under, and Angela Stanford is in sixth place at 4 under at CordeValle.
Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) and Gaby Lopez (Razorbacks) are five shots back at 2 under.
Ko is not dwelling on those behind her.
“I’m going to just try and … focus on the shot I have in front of me and not think about what everybody else is doing,” Ko said. “If I think that way, I won’t get too carried away with what position I am at certain parts of the final day.”
Ko’s week at the Open got off to a somewhat shaky start when she was tied for 52nd after a 73 in the first round in the difficult afternoon conditions.
But Ko got into contention with a 66 in the second round and then took sole possession of the lead on the final hole Saturday. Her approach shot spun back about 9 feet from the hole. She sank the putt and then threw her ball into the stands in celebration.
Ko is tied for the fewest putts through three rounds. She made two other long birdies Saturday, a 25-foot downhill putt on No. 3 and a long left-toright swinging putt on No. 13 that she initially thought she had over-read.
“That’s what I was doing the majority of the day,” she said. “I said, ‘Oh, man.’ And then I was kind of walking a little bit and then I saw the ball drop. So it kind of took me by surprise. So it was a lucky one.”
Ji has broken par all three rounds with a 69 and 71 in the first two rounds followed by the 2-under performance on Saturday. She is looking for her first LPGA Tour victory since winning the Open at Saucon Valley seven years ago.
Park, playing her first U.S. Open and second major, got off to a solid start with birdies on the sixth and eighth holes to move to 9 under. But fortunes quickly changed at the par-5 ninth when she hit her tee shot into a hazard for a penalty and ended up with a double bogey.
Lang birdied 14 and 15 and had the low round of the day at 68 to move to 5 under. Lang tied for second as an amateur in her first U.S. Open back in 2005 but has only gotten in the top five once since then back in 2010.
“I’ve been here before and I think you really have to just get to work on what you’re doing, because if you spend a lot of time thinking about where you’re going to finish, you’re going to drop down pretty quick,” Lang said.
WEB.COM
Gibson leads by 1
Rhein Gibson shot a 4-under 68 for a one-stroke lead Saturday at the LECOM Health Challenge at Findley Lake, N.Y. Gibson was at 16-under 200 heading into the final round.
Erik Barnes and Cheng Tsung Pan were tied for second at 15 under.
Sebastian Cappelen (Arkansas Razorbacks) and Joel Dahmen were tied for fourth at 14 under.
Tag Ridings (Razorbacks) was 11 under after he shot a 69, Zack Fischer (Little Rock) was 9 under after he had a 69 and Austin Cook (Jonesboro, Razorbacks) was 8 under after he shot a 70.
CHAMPIONS
Goydos, Riegger tied
ENDICOTT, N.Y. — Paul Goydos shot a 6-under 66 on Saturday to forge a tie for the lead with John Riegger after two rounds of the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open.
Goydos made eagle at the par-4 16th hole and followed with a birdie at No. 17 to finish at 11-under 133 with Riegger, who shot 67.
First-round leader Scott Dunlap shot 70 and was alone in second, one shot behind.
Wes Short Jr. and Monday qualifier Neal Lancaster also shot 66 and were tied for fourth at 9 under.
John Daly (Dardanelle, Arkansas Razorbacks) and Stephen Ames each shot 68 and were tied for sixth at 8 under with Bart Bryant, who shot 70.
Glen Day (Little Rock) shot a 72 and is tied for 10th at 6 under. Mike Grob (Razorbacks) had a 75 and is 3 over.
EUROPEAN
Noren ahead in rain
INVERNESS, Scotland — Alex Noren of Sweden birdied the last two holes to extend his lead to two shots at the Scottish Open on Saturday after a third round that ended in heavy rain at the Castle Stuart links.
Noren shot a 4-under 68 to move to 12-under 204, two clear of Tyrrell Hatton of England (66) and Matteo Manassero of Italy (68).
The top 15 players are separated by six shots in the last event before the British Open at Royal Troon next week.
Sports on 07/10/2016