Pettersen leads entering final round at Wegmans LPGA

6/22/2008

Norway's Suzann Pettersen moved into the lead with a 5-under-par 67 on Saturday at the Wegmans LPGA. The 27-year-old sits at 14-under-par (70-65-67=202) entering Sunday's final round at Locust Hill Country Club outside Rochester, N.Y.

The third round of play was suspended from 2:26 p.m. until 4:12 p.m. because of lightning in the area. When play resumed after the 1 hour and 46 minute delay, Pettersen had a one-stroke lead over Eun-Hee Ji, but birdies on holes 17 and 18 propelled her to a three stroke advantage overall. On the day, Pettersen was bogey-free with five birdies.

Pettersen is entering the final round with a lead for the sixth time in her career. She has won three of the previous five tournaments where she held the final round lead, including most recently at the 2007 Honda LPGA Thailand.

Ji among three tied for second place. Second-year LPGA member Eun-Hee Ji holed out for eagle on the par-4 first hole with a 5-iron from 170 yards during the third round of the Wegmans LPGA. She went on to fire a career-low 8-under-par 64, one shot off the course record at Locust Hill Country Club. Ji was bogey-free on the day with the eagle and six birdies. Her three-day total of 11-under-par (70-71-64=205) is three shots behind leader Suzann Pettersen. Ji is in the hunt for her first career LPGA victory tomorrow. Her career-best finish came at the 2007 Hana Bank ▪ KOLON Championship in her native South Korea.

Inbee Park (68-68-69=205) and second-round leader Morgan Pressel (69-65-71=205) are tied with Ji for second place after three rounds of play. Park is also searching for her first career LPGA victory.

Ochoa improves to 6-under. Rolex Rankings' number one Lorena Ochoa has improved by two strokes each round at the Wegmans LPGA. The defending champion started her week with an even-par 72, followed by a 2-under-par 70 on Friday and a 4-under-par 68 on Saturday. The 26-year-old is 6-under-par 210 for the week, eight shots off the pace of leader Suzann Pettersen.

Leaderboard – Round 3:

1.  Suzann Pettersen               70 65 67 202 -14
2.  Eun-Hee Ji                         70 71 64 205 -11
     Inbee Park                        68 68 67 205 -11
      Morgan Pressel                 69 65 71 205 -11
5.   Hee-Won Han                   69 74 64 207 - 9
      Ai Miyazato                       68 68 71 207 - 9
7.   Jeong Jang                       68 71 69 208 - 8
      Cristie Kerr                       68 70 70 208 - 8
9.   Helen Alfredsson               69 73 67 209 - 7
10. Seon Hwa Lee                    74 69 67 210 - 6
      Lorena Ochoa                    72 70 68 210 - 6
      Natalie Gulbis                    72 69 69 210 - 6

Source: AP, LPGA Tour