Amy Yang fired a third-round 73 to keep the lead at the LPGA Tour Championship at Grand Cypress Golf Club in Orlando, Florida. Yang holds a one-stroke advantage over Rolex Rankings No. 39 Maria Hjorth and a three-stroke lead over Rolex Rankings No. 3 Cristie Kerr and No. 72 Seon Hwa Lee.
Yang, who has never led an LPGA tournament prior to this week, is trying to become a wire-to-wire winner this week in Orlando. If she wins Sunday she will become the third Rolex First-Time Winner of 2010. Yang has three tournament victories on the LET.
Yang battled her nerves on the front-nine, but rallied on the inward nine. She double bogeyed the par-5 second and bogeyed the par-4 seventh for an outward three-over-par 39. Yang posted three birdies on the back nine, including a birdie two on the par-3 seventeenth and a birdie three on the par-4 eighteenth.
Three-time LPGA Tour winner Maria Hjorth finds herself in a good position for win number four. Hjorth fired a third-round 71 to stand one behind the leader Yang. Hjorth has posted three top-10’s in 2010 with a season-best tie for third at the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia. She currently sits 33rd on the LPGA money list. Her last win came at the 2007 Navistar LPGA Classic.
Long-hitting Maria Hjorth, who hits the ball higher that most of her competitors, feels she has an advantage when it comes to the greens on the Grand Cypress course. Hjorth feels the greens are fairly firm and that she's lucky to be able to hit shorter irons into the greens. "If you hit a 7‑iron higher, then all of a sudden you have two clubs shorter than the other girls, and it definitely makes a big difference," Hjorth said.
Hjorth feels Yang has the same advantage. “Obviously her game [Yang’s] suits this course, as well,” Hjorth said. “She is one of the longer hitters as well and also hits it very high.”
Laura Diaz finally feels she's getting comfortable again on the course and said coming back from giving birth to her second child was harder than she thought it would be. Diaz's goal for the LPGA Tour Championship was to make the cuts each day. Diaz's under-par round today, the only player to shoot under 70, moved her into fifth place. "I just wanted to keep making the cut," Diaz said. "It will definitely help me also have a good round tomorrow."
Na Yeon Choi claims the 2010 LPGA Official money list title aftre the third-year player from South Korea held a $34,790 lead over Jiyai Shin heading into this week’s LPGA Tour Championship. Shin failed to make the 54-hole cut, assuring Choi of the money title. Choi currently stands in a tie for ninth heading into the final round. Choi has won twice this season – the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Presented by Kroger and the LPGA Hana Bank Championship Presented by SK telecom – finished second four times and posted a total of 14 top-10’s. She has carded no worse than a tie for 16th in her last 12 starts. Choi finished 6th on the 2009 LPGA money list and 11th as an LPGA Tour rookie in 2008. Choi is second player from South Korea to win an LPGA money title. Jiyai Shin captured the honor in 2009.
With one round to play at the LPGA Tour Championship, Choi and Kerr remain in a nail biter for the Vare Trophy. Coming into the week Choi averaged 69.77 and held a slim lead over Kerr who averaged 69.86. Kerr has chipped away at Choi’s scoring average the last three days. Choi’s three-day total of 1-over-par 217 is four shots short of Kerr’s 3-under-par 213. Choi’s current scoring average is 69.87, while Kerr’s is 69.90. If Kerr beats Choi by seven shots or more this week, she is projected to win the Vare Trophy. The winner of the Vare Trophy earns a valuable point towards the LPGA Hall of Fame.
Three players – Yani Tseng, Na Yeon Choi and Cristie Kerr – still have the opportunity to become the 2010 Rolex Player of the Year.
The award will earn the winner a point towards entry into the LPGA Hall of Fame. Tseng currently leads Choi by 14 points and Kerr by 15 points. If either Choi or Kerr win the LPGA Tour Championship Sunday, she will be the 2010 Rolex Player of the Year. If Choi or Kerr do not win, Yani Tseng will be the 2010 Rolex Player of the Year. History will be made in either scenario. Kerr would become the first American player to claim Rolex Player of the Year honors since Beth Daniel in 1994. Tseng is vying to become the first player from Taiwan to win the award, while Choi is attempting to become the first player from South Korea to hoist the prestigious trophy.
