Oct 13,2024
Leona Maguire will have her eyes set on a top 20 finish after a solid but unspectacular third round at the Buick LPGA Shanghai.
The Cavan golfer carded a 71 to move to seven-under par, 11 shots off leader Mao Saigo. That's good enough for a tie for 19th ahead of the final round of action.
Maguire had started the day on six-under par but dropped shots at the third and seventh saw her fall back.
However, her final 10 holes produced a bogey and four birdies – including back-to-back birdies on her two closing holes – to move under par for the day.
FULL LEADERBOARD
A closing eagle saw Saigo take the lead, but she will have to be wary of the in-form Ruoning Yin who is just a shot back after a stunning 63.
That was comfortably the round of the day with the Chinese golfer’s card including seven birdies, an eagle and zero dropped shots.
Saigo has six top-10 finishes on the season and is striving for her first career victory.
"I played a good round, was very relaxed and played very freely and had agreat result," Saigo said. "I am very happy with that."
Yin, 22, has three career wins and one on the season. With a win, she'd become the first Chinese woman to capture the Shanghai tournament.
"I think tomorrow I'm playing as a chaser, and I think just I have a little goal for myself every day, and I think if I'm able to complete my goal I'm happy about whatever the result is," Yin said about being paired with Saigo in the final round Sunday.
Additional reporting: Reuters
