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Sports

Park leads Pettersen by 2 in Taiwan

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

Taoyuan, Taiwan – Inbee Park had a pair of eagles on Saturday and that helped propel her to a 2-stroke lead after 54 holes of the Sunrise LPGA Taiwan Championship.

Park ended three rounds at 18-under-par 198 after firing a course-record, 8- under 64 on Saturday. Her total of 198 smashed Yani Tseng's 54-hole record of 206 from last year.

Suzann Pettersen carded a 6-under 66 and is two strokes off the pace at minus-16 at Sunrise Golf & Country Club.

Tseng, the defending champion, also posted a 66 on Saturday and stands alone in third place at 14-under-par 202.

Park and Pettersen, who won last week in South Korea, shared the lead to start the day. Park birdied the first, but Pettersen responded with birdies at four and five to move one ahead.

At the par-5 sixth, Park chipped in for eagle to jump to 13-under. Pettersen made birdie there to join her playing partner atop the leaderboard. Park traded a bogey for a birdie from the seventh.

Park birdied the 10th to move into the lead at 14-under as Pettersen was in the midst of running off six consecutive pars.

Tseng, playing a group ahead of the two leaders, birdied the 12th and came right back with an eagle on the 13th to grab a piece of the lead at 14-under. However, she parred out to end there.

Park also made eagle at 13 to jump two clear of Tseng and Pettersen, who made birdie at 13. Pettersen joined Park atop the leaderboard as she also birdied the 14th and 15th.

Park, a 2-time winner this season, responded with birdies at 16 and 18 to push her lead back to two.

"I think today probably was almost perfect for me. I hit the ball great and putted really good today," Park said. "You couldn't ask for better weather. It was a perfect day. The conditions of the golf course were perfect. I mean I was able to go at every pin, so I was able to play aggressive."

Pettersen, who earned her ninth tour win last week, parred the last three holes.

"Today was another great round of golf. I think all three of us played pretty good and we kind of managed to keep ourselves and keep the momentum going from hole-to-hole," Pettersen said of her playing partners, Park and Catriona Matthew. "I think Inbee had two eagles, but it was great because we pushed each other and you just kind of pushed the limits and it was great."

Matthew is alone in fourth at 12-under 204 after shooting 68 in round three. Cristie Kerr is two shots further back at minus-10 after carding a 67 on Saturday.

NOTES: Park owns the 54-hole lead for the third time this year. She won one and lost in a playoff at the other event...The last time Tseng put together three straight rounds in the 60s, in March at the Kia Classic, she won the tournament.