Tseng takes lead at LPGA State Farm Classic

7/20/2008

LPGA Tour rookie Yani Tseng has her sights set on her second win of the season, as she takes a two-stroke lead over Katie Futcher into Sunday's final round of the LPGA State Farm Classic in Springfield

Tseng, who already won the McDonald's LPGA Championship Presented by Coca-Cola in June, and leads the 2008 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year race, shot her third-consecutive round of 6-under-par 66 for a 54-hole score of 18-under 198.

Tseng's bogey-free round began with a birdie on the first hole, and she followed with a seven-foot eagle putt on the sixth hole and another birdie on seven. Two more birdies fell in on the 14th and 16th holes en route to another 6-under performance.

Futcher heads into final round in control of second place. With a 6-under-par 66 in the third round of the LPGA State Farm Classic, Katie Futcher  sits in second place and two shots back from leader Yani Tseng entering Sunday's final round.

To go along with her career-low mark from round two (8-under-par 64), the third-year Tour player has put together the best back-to-back rounds of her season, shooting 64 and 66 in the second and third rounds, respectively. The Texas native also tallied another bogey-free round, and is eyeing what could be her first career victory on the LPGA Tour season Panther Creek Country Club.

Han sets new tournament record, moves to tie for third place. Turning in a new tournament record, six-time LPGA Tour winner Hee-Won Han  finished round three with an 11-under-par scorecard, and enters the final round of the LPGA State Farm Classic tied for third at 15-under par.

Han broke the previous tournament record of 10-under 62 which Annika Sorenstam scored in the final round of the 2006 event at The Rail Golf Course.

Leaderboard – Round 3:

1.  Yani Tseng                           66 66 66 198 -18
2.  Katie Futcher                         70 64 66 200 -16
3.  Hee-Won Han                        69 71 61 201 -15
     Ji Young Oh                          66 66 69 201 -15
5.  Na Yeon Choi                         67 67 69 203 -13
     Stacy Prammanasudh             69 66 68 203 -13
7.  Kyeong Bae                           68 67 69 204 -12
     Wendy Doolan                       67 68 69 204 -12
     Cristina Kim                           63 68 73 204 -12
10. Beth Bade                             70 66 69 205 -11
     Jee young Lee                        65 70 70 205 -11
     Sherri Turner                          66 66 73 205 -11
     Sun Young Yoo                       64 69 72 205 -11

Source: LPGA Tour