Hur in control

HUR Mi-jung keeps her two-shot lead in Indy. AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) — South Korea’s Hur Mi-jung birdied six of the last 10 holes Saturday to maintain a two-stroke lead after the third round of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Indy Women in Tech Championship.

Hur, seeking a wire-to-wire triumph, closed with a 15-foot birdie putt at the par-4 18th to shoot a six-under par 66 and finish on 17-under 199 for 54 holes at Brickyard Crossing, where the last four holes are inside the 2.5-mile (4 kilometers) Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval.

“That was my best birdie for all three rounds,” Hur said. “All the crowd cheered me on the last hole after I made the birdie. It was pretty cool.

“I was thinking a two-shot lead will be easier for me tomorrow. There will be pressure on me the whole round.”

Hur, seeking her fourth LPGA victory, ended a five-year title drought by winning last month’s Ladies Scottish Open.

American Marina Alex, chasing her second LPGA title, fired a 64 to seize second on 201 with Puerto Rico’s Maria Torres third on 203, one stroke ahead of Dane Nanna Koerstz Madsen with England’s Bronte Law fifth on 205.

“A lot of players shoot low scores today but I tried to focus on my game and it worked pretty well,” Hur said.

Hur opened with her lone bogey of the day but answered with a birdie at the par-5 second hole. She closed the front nine with a birdie then caught fire with birdies at 11, 13, the par-5 14th, 16 and 18.

Alex reeled off three birdies in a row twice in her bogey-free round, the first run starting at the second hole and the last to open the back nine. She added birdies at the par-3 15th and 18.

“I was able to get many more birdie opportunities,” Alex said, comparing conditions to windy Friday weather. “I didn’t play a whole lot different. The course allowed for more birdies today.”

Law fired a bogey-free 65 that included birdies at the par-3 12th and 15th.

“There’s a pack at the top so you’ve got to keep chasing,” Law said. “I’ve got to keep focused and take the positives into tomorrow.”