STILL WIE’S TROPHY
Michelle Wie isn’t ready to hand over the U.S. Women’s Open trophy just yet. The defending champion started the day at even par, knowing she had some work to do in order to catch leader Amy Yang.
Wie posted a 2-under 68 in the third round thanks to three birdies right after making the turn. She battled pain, walking with a noticable limp at times, but she was able to fight it and heads into the final round three shots back of leader Amy Yang (-8).
“I’m very grateful that it hasn’t really hurt my backswing, I just feel it on the way through,” Wie said. “So I kind of pep myself up, and it is what it is, and you just kind of go for it. But I’m proud of myself today, I hung in there, for sure.”
Wie was aware of the leaderboard throughout the day and came away happy she gave herself an opportunity.
“Yeah, I was definitely focusing a little bit on it. I knew I had to post a low number, which is a little frustrating,” Wie said. “Those easy bogeys that came around today were a little bit frustrating. I felt like the birdies came today. I just -- those bogeys are precious, you can’t really be making bogeys out here. I’m grateful that I have an opportunity, I have a chance. So I’m going to try to do as much as I can with it.”
CHELLA CHOI MAKES HISTORY IN LANCASTER
Chella Choi etched her name in the U.S. Women’s Open history books on Friday after going out in 29 in her first nine holes. It marks the lowest nine-hole score in U.S. Women’s Open history. Five players have shot 30, most recently Jodi Ewart Shadoff (first round, first nine) in 2013. Choi had a 30-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to also set the 18-hole scoring record but ran it four feet past the hole. Her par putt coming back horseshoed the lip of the hole and missed tying the record of 63 by one shot. Her round of 64 was her best in a major championship.
“My shot is really good today so I have a lot of chance,” said Choi. “I missed a couple par-putt, but I have a lot of chance out there. So confidence and, yeah, I made a lot.”
Choi is coming off a rough patch in her 2015 season that includes four missed cuts in her last six starts. She said her dad, who also serves as her caddie, recommended to change something with her putting at the start of the week. So Choi swapped her Odyssey No. 5 for an Odyssey No. 1 and made it clear on what the difference has been.
“Made a putt,” said Choi.
Choi made the most out of moving day and moved from tied for 54th to T5.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
16 - Total number of birdies for Amy Yang in this championship
29 - Low front nine score today by Chella Choi
32 - Low back nine score today by Brooke Henderson
64 - Low round of the day by Chella Choi
87 - Number of putts for Na Yeon Choi in this championship, the lowest total through 54 holes
OF NOTE...
Lee Lopez made a hole-in-one at the par-3, 156-yard sixth hole, using a 6-iron.
ROLEX RANKINGS NO. 1 SPOT UP FOR GRABS
Inbee Park has held the No. 1 spot in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings for four weeks since overtaking Lydia Ko for the top spot after her win at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship but her reign is at stake this week in Lancaster. Ko is the only player who can unseat Park for No. 1.
Lydia Ko can take over No. 1 if:
She wins AND Inbee Park finishes in a tie for 7th or worse.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I see new faces every year I play on the Tour. And a lot of really young generations of players from Korea come out and play really well. It’s always good to see and have the company. And obviously they’re ten years younger than me, but they’re the new generations of golf.”
- Inbee Park on the rise of South Korean players out on Tour.
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