Kingsmill Championship Presented by JTBC RD 3 Notes

Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn shot 6-under 65 on Saturday to take a one-shot lead after three rounds at the Kingsmill Championship Presented by JTBC and will be playing for her second career LPGA victory in her last two starts. The 20-year old won her first title two weeks ago at the Tour’s last stop at the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic. Jutanugarn sits atop the leaderboard at 10-under par in front of the trio of In Gee Chun, Pornanong Phatlum and So Yeon Ryu who are tied for second. Thirteen players are within three shots of the lead.

Chun shot her career-low round and tied the tournament scoring record with a bogey-free 9-under 62. Her round of 62 ties the low round of the season on Tour alongside Mi Hyang Lee (first round – JTBC Founders Cup) and Sei Young Kim (final round – JTBC Founders Cup).

Jutanugrarn carried a three-shot lead into Sunday’s final round two weeks ago in Alabama and said she hasn’t come close to feeling as nervous in this position as she used to. She’ll try to become the second player this year to win back-to-back events. Lydia Ko won the Kia Classic and the ANA Inspiration in consecutive weeks.

“Normally if I’m tied for the lead or one shot behind, I get a little bit excited, but today I’m not,” said Jutanugarn. “I just keep playing my game and have fun and enjoy it with every shot.”

So Yeon Ryu was tied with Jutanugarn at 10-under par heading to the 18th tee but bogeyed the last to drop to 9-under. She’s playing for her first victory since the 2014 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open.

“I was almost going to play a bogey-free round and I made a bogey at the last hole,” said Ryu. “I was pretty disappointed. But yeah, I hit a bad tee shot…But the rest of the day my playing was pretty great. I’m happy with that. But if I really think about what’s the difference between yesterday, it’s just the putts were not dropping, so hopefully tomorrow I’ll drop everything.”

Pornanong Phatlum is again in contention for her first LPGA victory. She’ll be paired in the last group alongside her Thailand compatriot in Jutanugarn.

“There’s a lot of good competitors out here, and of course everybody is here to win,” said Phatlum. “I only focused on my game, and some of the week it just came all together, and when that happens, hopefully it’s going to come soon. Right now I have confidence, so that’s what I’ve been working on.”

Nearly three quarters of an inch of rain dumped on the River Course early on Saturday and forced tee times back two hours and twenty minutes. With more rain in the forecast, tee times for Sunday’s final round will start at 7:00 am ET off the 1st and 10th tees. The final groups will go off at 9:12 am ET.

In Gee Chun began the day tied for 52nd at the Kingsmil Championship and thanks to a tournament record-tying 62 (-9) she finds herself just one shot back of leader Ariya Jutanugarn (-10). The LPGA rookie tied the record originally set by Jiyai Shin in the first round in 2012 on her way to the win in a nine-hole playoff with Paula Creamer.

Chun started the day on the back nine and finished her round on fire with birdies on each of the final six holes to tie the record.

“I was so happy to tie the course record. I had an 8-under on the KLPGA before but 9-under is my low round,” Chun explained. “Today, my driver was so good and my irons were really good.”

With tee times pushed back two hours and 20 minutes due to weather and course conditions, Chun wasn’t feeling well as she began her round but it helped her focus and take one shot at a time.

“Because the weather, and because I have allergies. It’s really bad. I did not feel good,” Chun said. “And it was windy today, so I did not play with high expectations, but I could focus on my game better, and I play with candy and Kelly today, and really thank them for making me feel comfortable. And my friends are here. I was so happy to see them enjoying my play, then I focused more on my game.”

The 21-year old had four top-three finishes to start the 2016 season and is trying to get back on track since returning from a back injury last month. She’s playing for her second LPGA Tour win and first since the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open.

Two players from Thailand will be in the final group tomorrow at the Kingsmill Championship Presented by JTBC. Ariya Jutanugarn (-10) and Pornanong Phatlum (-9) will be paired with South Korean In Gee Chun (-9) while Thailand hopes for their second ever LPGA victory. Ariya Jutanuragn is looking for her second consecutive win after winning two weeks ago at the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic in Alabama.

“I think tomorrow is going to be so much fun because rain, play with the weather, and tough conditions,” Jutanugarn said. “Just have fun, enjoy, because I just want to do my best. Like whatever happens, I really want to have fun because right now, everything is good for me.”

Phatlum said seeing Jutanugarn win in Alabama served as a bit of inspiration for her.

“Very happy, and for Thailand, too. They’re very proud of her,” Phatlum said. “Yeah, to get the first victory for Thailand, yeah, very big.”

“I think maybe I might better not to do anything different. I might better to do just what I’m normally doing. As you said, I haven’t really won a tournament since 2014, so I really look forward to having another trophy, and I’m pretty excited to be in contention. Well, the weather is supposed to be really bad tomorrow, so hopefully I can have a good day somehow and get lucky, and we’ve got good weather and good sun. I’m ready to be in a fight with somebody.”

               -So Yeon Ryu on playing for her first title since 2014