Yang posts 2-stroke lead

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — South Korea’s Amy Yang, chasing her first major title, grinded out a one-under par 71 to grab a two-stroke lead after the third round of the Women’s PGA Championship.

Yang, who has 21 career top-10 major finishes without a victory, stood on seven-under 209 after 54 holes at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Washington.

Asked about the most crucial parts of her round, Yang said, “Just how much patience I need out there and how disciplined I have to be with my decisions — I think I did really well.”

Meanwhile, Paris Olympic-bound Bianca Pagdanganan closed with a bogey on the par-5 18th to settle for a 2-over-par 74.

The 26-year-old Filipina slipped to a share of 25th place on a 2-over 218, nine shots behind leader Yang.

On the other hand, Philippine-born Japanese Yuka Saso struggled with a 77 to slip to 10-over in the tournament.

Yang, 34, answered both bogeys on Saturday with birdies on the next hole. The two-time US Open runner-up won her fifth and most recent LPGA title at the 2023 Tour Championship.

She goes for a life-changing victory on Sunday.

“All I can do is the best I can do for the day,” Yang said of the final-round pressure to finally win a major.

“It was tough out there but I did really well and I’m planning to do the same thing again tomorrow.”

Japan’s 22-year-old Miyu Yamashita, who has 11 wins on the LPGA Japan Tour, fired a 70 to share second on 211 with Lauren Hartlage.

World No. 272 Hartlage, a 26-year-old American who has never managed a top-five LPGA finish, shot a bogey-free 69.

“I’ve been hitting the ball pretty well and the fairways are pretty tight so giving yourself a good position on every hole is really important,” Hartlage said.

“Made a couple good par putts, stayed patient all day.”

American Sarah Schmelzel, who shared the lead when the day began, was fourth on 212 despite a 74.

A fifth-place pack on 213 included Americans Caroline Inglis, Lexi Thompson and Lilia Vu plus South Korean Ko Jin-young and Japan’s Hinako Shibuno.

World No. 25 Yang sank a birdie putt from just beyond eight feet at the ninth to take a one-stroke lead over Schmelzel at the turn.

Yang reached the green in two at the par-5 11th and made a birdie putt from just inside five feet to reach seven-under and when Schmelzel missed a nine-foot par putt at 12, Yang’s lead stretched to three shots.